En Route
by hopefulfeathers
Summary: A heartbroken Regina Mills meets a lonely Robin Locksley on board of one of the most prestigious luxury airlines en route to England. Told with the aid of a series of flashbacks, a tentative friendship becomes much more as pasts unfold. How far will these two young people be willing to go for one another to help mend the past, the present, and even the future? ((OQ Central, AU))
1. Chapter 1

**Hello fellow Oncers! I've decided to write this new fanfic a little more uniquely than others that I've previously written in the past, having all elements of the plot, all pieces of the puzzle center and focus into this one single event, the plane ride. I hope you all find it just as entertaining as it is to write! Please enjoy and let me know what you think!**

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So upon having nothing else better to do other than to simply wait, she glances about the room out from underneath her long, dark eyelashes. It's another exciting day down in Terminal Seven at New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport luxury lounge. To her right a middle-aged man, dressed properly in a formal suit and tie, gazes intently at a newspaper held directly in the line of his eyes as he sits back comfortably against the couch cushion, one ankle placed over the other knee. Diagonally across from the man, a group of young women possibly between the ages of twenty-five and thirty stand over by the bar, all dressed in none but stylish, expensive-looking pantsuits. They receive their ordered martinis from a passing waitress, chattering animatedly amongst themselves and shifting their designer purses from one shoulder to the other.

Shaking her head at the superficiality of their mindless gossip, she then turns her attention directly left of the bunch to a family of three. The unnaturally blonde mother, dressed in a plain form-fitting black dress and coat stares fixedly at her smartphone, tapping away with her eyebrow furrowed in deep concentration. The brunette father, sporting a pair of black trousers and a plain white dress shirt, unbuttoned at the top, follows silently behind their daughter as she totters this way and that. The little brunette, seemingly under the age of three, stumbles about in a yellow sundress as she eagerly explores her surroundings, her little brown curls bouncing about her forehead.

Then upon completing the semi-circle around the room, her eyes finally rest upon a young man who sits quietly to her left. He appears to be just about her age, young and vigilant. He is a very light brunette, his hair parted just askew from the midline of his forehead and falling around his face. He's dressed rather plainly in a pair of simple khakis and blue button down. His features are serene and pensive as he watches the action around him in the lounge. Upon lifting her head slightly yet discreetly in his direction, she can just make out his eyes to be of a soft grayish tone. Immediately her heart painfully constricts as she forces herself to glance away. She swallows that all too familiar feeling of despair and loneliness that bubbles from deep within the pit of her stomach, threatening her eyes to inevitably water at this certain reminder.

"Regina!", a familiar voice calls amongst the dull roar of the room. It's a welcome interruption from her somber thoughts. After quickly taking a deep breath, Regina turns her attention to an enthusiastic blonde who heads her way with two drinks in hand. "Here, thought I'd get us some drinks while we wait for an eternity and a half for this freaking plane. I got you a sangria because I know just how much you love them," the blonde announces, handing over a wine glass full to the brim with the sweet, fruity mixture.

"Really?", Regina asks, clearing her throat as she grabs hold of the glass.

"Well since you always say you never have them enough, here's the chance," the blonde explains with a short shrug of her shoulders.

"Oh," Regina replies, swirling the crimson liquid around whilst examining the floating pieces of apple and orange. A fine choice indeed. "And what did you order for yourself, Emma?", she inquires with a lift of a perfectly penciled brow, "Don't tell me your ordered a beer, yet again."

Emma beams, holding up her drink like she would a trophy. "Guilty," she sings before her smile falters slightly as she observes her friend's slightly distant features more closely. "Hey are you okay?"

"Yes," Regina responds with a shake of her head before quickly changing the subject. "You do realize that there are other better, more sophisticated drinks that you can have other than just a BudLight all the time, especially in a setting such as this," Regina scolds with a disapproving shake of her head. She chances a glance to her left, but the young man has gone.

"You know I can't stand the taste of wine," Emma retorts, unaware of the subtle action.

"Well that's because the only wine you've tasted was from that cheap, God-awful faux Italian restaurant. You simply can't base your opinion on wine just by that one experience. Try it again."

"No way," Emma declares with a firm shake of her head, "There is no way in hell. Not to mention that with wine, you have to have—how did you put it before—'an acquired taste'."

"It's true," Regina defends, "And you most certainly won't _acquire_ that taste until you try it."

"I don't exactly think my palate would agree."

"Your palate is really as plain as it comes. It's a real shame."

"Well excuse me for not having grown up with such lavish, sophisticated tastes such as yourself," Emma laughs, holding out her hand in mock disdain at her brunette best friend.

Regina narrows her eyes, yet fondly shakes her head. The long story of Regina and Emma's friendship had been a rocky one; full of ups and downs. It took quite some time for them to reach this point where banter is seen as nothing but simply what it is. Banter. Having grown from two quite contrasting backgrounds, these women have never truly seen eye to eye on practically anything. In fact, they were complete opposites, juxtaposition personified. Regina, who had been raised in the lavish lifestyle by her mother, has learned all too well of the dark side to being rich. From the very beginning, to her luxury was none but a travesty; a mindset in which people indulged themselves completely in conversations of money and politics. Owning material goods wasn't even the root of the problem for her. It was the countless nights having to spend chained at the dinner table with people her mother deemed of a worthy status: politicians, multimillionaire investors, presidents, and CEOs. Now at the age of twenty-five Regina finds herself liberated of the superficial life of the rich and wealthy, though still tethered to the ghosts of her insufferable past. Yes she still lives more comfortably than the average and may indulge in a few luxuries here and there, however she claims that she has fallen well away from the tree from which she came. She is not her mother.

Emma, on the other hand, rose from a life of poverty. Initially an orphan abandoned on the streets of Boston, she found herself traveling from foster home to foster home. Resorting to a life of thievery, Emma had served time in the local prison that is until she met Regina. Because the brunette's mother Cora worked as a powerful lawyer of criminal justice, she forced her daughter to intern at the exact prison in which she worked at the time. Coincidentally, it just so happened that this specific penitentiary was where Emma was kept. As Emma and Regina grew to know each other, they developed a certain level of understanding, an ability to relate at least to the shared sentiments of feeling trapped within the life they each were given. This grew to the point when Regina was willing and able to steal money from her mother to bail Emma out. After a heated argument between the two acquaintances and an infuriated mother, Emma was finally freed after a quick trial, with the promise of community service. And from there, having nowhere else to stay, she was allowed to share Regina's apartment. However it wouldn't be until after multiple disagreements, following what seemed to be happy ending, when Regina and Emma truly became the best of friends. There were differences that had to be worked through, differences that couldn't have been foreseen simply by way of quick conversation in the cafeteria of the prison. Nevertheless, they were differences laid to rest.

"I am actually really excited, Regina," Emma remarks with a nod as she leans back against the plush cushion of the couch. "I think this will be really, you know, fun."

Regina sighs wistfully, shaking her head. "I don't know Emma…"

"Don't Regina," the blonde states, shifting closer to take the brunette's hand and hold it firmly. "No. This _will_ be fun. We are going have an amazing vacation in England, just you and me. It'll be exciting."

"Emma," Regina protests, eyes glossy, "I don't know if I-"

"Forget about it," Emma insists fervently, "You seriously have to just forget about it. This is for you and only you. Don't let anything else distract you from this…escape. Because that's what it is. Nothing else matters." She squeezes the brunette's hand tightly, reassuringly. "I know you can do it."

Regina sighs deeply, looking into the wide hazel eyes of her best friend. "Okay," she states, clearing her throat of any waver in her voice, "Okay."

"There. That's more like it," Emma encourages, letting go of Regina's hand to deliver a swift pat on the back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, all First Class passengers please make your way to Gate One for boarding," a voice suddenly bursts from a nearby speaker, causing Regina to jump, "All First Class passengers please make your way to Gate One for boarding."

"That's us!", Emma announces excitedly, jumping up to gather her belongings and follow the line out of the waiting lounge. Regina follows quickly behind, scrambling to catch up with the rest of the group.

"Goodbye New York," Emma declares with a low excited whisper.

"Yes goodbye New York," Regina repeats with another sigh.

"Regina," Emma warns, turning to narrow her eyes at the brunette.

Regina's eyes widen as she pretends that she is fine, when truly she is anything but. "What?", she asks with a shrug.

"Stop it."

The brunette snorts, turning to face forward towards the boarding line.

"Boarding pass ma'am?", the flight attendant asks, holding out her hand once Regina approaches the stand. Regina nods, palming her the piece of paper for her to scan. "Thank you," the woman states, "And welcome to British Airways." Regina offers the woman a small smile before following Emma down the jetway.

"Wow," Regina breathes as she and the blonde step into the main area in which all the suites are located. The interior is slick and modern. Cubicles lined in three rows (two on the sides, one in the middle) make up the separate suites, each cubicle being separated into two suites. Each suite consists of plush leather seats that are easily transformable to a bed, completed with a television and dock station for any personal devices.

"I know," Emma whispers as she runs her hands over the slick and shiny metal structure of the walls that separate each cubicle. "This is incredible."

"Really," Regina agrees, "I've never been on a plane as luxurious as this before."

"Not even with your mother?"

"No," Regina says, shaking her head before turning abruptly to head over to her side of the cubicle. "Not even—aoww!" The brunette suddenly cries aloud as her left foot collides harshly with a rolling wheel of a very heavy-looking suitcase. "Fuck!" She hops to her right foot, the toe on her left foot feeling as if it may fall off.

"Apologies milady," a hurried voice says in a thick British accent, "Are you all right? I'm really sorry."

"Watch where you're going!", Regina hisses, reaching down to rub at her big toe through the tip of her Jimmy Choos.

"Geez, Regina," Emma breathes, latching onto Regina's arm in order to steady her.

"Please, is there anything I can do to help? I do apologize," the man repeats.

"I'm fine," Regina snaps, tentatively placing down her injured foot, hopping once, twice. Finally as the pain ceases, she looks up into a gentle face whose features are etched with concern. The bluest eyes she has ever seen stare back at her intently, reflecting her perplexed image perfectly in deep reflective pools. This man is a dirty blonde, locks parted and falling over his forehead in a way that affects Regina more than it should. He stands in a plain pair of trousers and a clean forest green t-shirt.

"Are you sure?", the man asks, narrowing his eyes as he gazes up and down the brunette's form; raven locks reaching just above her shoulders, simple black skirt suit, dark makeup—full rouge lips.

"Yes," Regina replies quickly before clearing her throat, locating her manners, and repeating, "Yes. I am. Thank you."

The man smiles gently, revealing a very prominent yet attractive set of dimples. "Good. I'd hate to think I've done some real damage to your toe."

"No." Regina glances down at her feet; a scrape prominent in the leather of the left toe. "Just to my shoe."

"Then I apologize. The last thing I'd want to do is ruin a woman's footwear," the man says with a soft smirk, "I hear they tend to be quite protective over it."

"That is true," Regina answers, "But you're lucky that these aren't my favorite pair." For some reason, she can't help the small matching smirk that forms across her lips as well.

The man chuckles, extending his hand to her. "Robin Locksley, at your service."

Regina tilts her head as she gazes quietly into his eyes, still mesmerized by their color. Not to mention that they are the kindest eyes she's ever seen. They just seem to radiate warmth and light, and possibility.

"Regina," she replies, placing her hand in his, "Regina Mills."

Robin nods graciously before turning towards a bemused blonde, who has been standing by, completely and utterly bewildered at the scene before her eyes. He gazes at her expectantly. "Oh, um, Emma," she states quickly with a swift nod.

"Pleasure," the man replies before turning back to Regina. "Well I'm sure I'll see you around, milady," he adds with a nod of his head.

"I'm sure you will," Regina states, lifting her brow, "Just don't get in my way…again."

"I wouldn't dream of it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone! I just want to say, to anyone out there taking midterms or finals, those who are wrapping up semesters in college or in high school, very best of luck to you all. Just think, Christmas break is coming soon! Here's another update to provide an escape for you all. I hope you enjoy! They'll be flying out fast!**

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She relaxes comfortably against the soft plush leather cushion of her seat, accepting a glass of red wine by a passing waiter. Glancing around the room, Regina subconsciously looks to see if she can spot the man whose suitcase had painfully collided with her now well-bruised and aching toe. But upon receiving no luck, she kicks off her heels and lays her head back against the leather, letting out a large sigh. Her eyes flutter closed for but two seconds until Emma on the other side of the cubicle taps her arm.

"What Emma," Regina groans, slightly irritated at the blonde's blithe unawareness of her own inconsideration for the brunette's need for personal space, especially when it is so obvious as it is in this very moment.

"What the hell happened back there?", Emma prods, her voice in an eager hushed hiss.

Regina's eyes widen in surprise as she lifts her head to face the bewildered blonde. "What do you mean?"

"With that guy," Emma clarifies impatiently, "Robin…Robin something."

"Robin Locksley?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing," Regina states defensively, "What makes you think something happened?"

"Regina I saw the way you were looking at him," her best friend declares with slight quirk upward of the corner of her lips.

"Emma!", Regina exclaims, eyes widening even further as she flashes Emma a look that says 'I can't believe you said that.'

"Regina," Emma retorts, "You can't deny the fact that the moment you looked into his face, you didn't just look. You _looked_."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that even after what happened, you still—"

"Emma no," Regina hisses, grabbing her friends wrist and squeezing, completely and utterly appalled at the fact that her friend would think her to be someone so fickle. "Just because I just so happened to look at another man a—certain—way doesn't mean that I could move on so quickly as if what happened before meant nothing."

"So you do agree that you looked at him a different way than normal," Emma concludes, "And I didn't mean it like that, God Regina. I meant it as a good thing. You still have the sense to move on. In fact you _need_ the sense, the courage, to move on. Isn't this what this trip is about?"

"What are you implying?"

"Well…he was flirting with you," Emma says with a shrug, "Perhaps you can go talk to him."

"Emma no!"

"Emma yes," the blonde corrects smugly, "This'll be a good thing for you."

"It's too early," Regina retorts, "Plus he might not even be single."

"You never know unless you try. There's only one way to find out."

"I said no," Regina asserts fervently, knitting her brows together in a determined gaze. "That's that. End of conversation."

"All right," Emma replies, raising her hands in defeat, "But think about it."

Think about it her ass. Regina flops back into her seat, returning to gaze straight ahead. How can she possibly move on so quickly? How can she possibly be expected to move on so fast? What happened back there meant nothing. Nothing. Her heart is still broken, a piece of her still left yearning for what could nevermore be possible. In her chest bubbles sadness, which rises from the depths of her heart. It leaves a painful streak in its path up through her chest to her eyes, which begin to sting. Turning her head away from Emma to avoid the blonde's inevitable and unwanted remarks she closes her eyes, allowing her memory to take her away, back to a time, a place far more comforting.

 _"Daniel sshh! My mother's gonna hear!", a young Regina of eighteen half laughs in a half whisper as a young man of the same age pulls her through the gardens behind her mother's tall mansion._

 _"No she won't, you told me she sleeps like the dead," Daniel laughs aloud, tugging on his girlfriends hand as he jogs towards the forest behind._

 _"Any louder and you'll be waking the dead," Regina retorts, "For goodness sake, lower your voice."_

 _The two bound past the neatly cut topiaries of the garden, making a beeline towards the woods, the only place in which the two felt completely free. Regina rushes after the light brunette, chancing a few glances over her shoulder at the dark mansion behind. So far so good. The moonlight shines down upon them, lighting a path of shimmering silver that the couple follow quickly down once they reach the outskirts of the forest. Daniel bounds ahead of her, the way he gracefully dodges the rocks and fallen branches in their path making the brunette behind beam widely._

 _"Daniel, slow down," Regina laughs once more, "You're going too fast!"_

 _"You're so bossy tonight!", Daniel complains, glancing back at her with a wide grin spread across his features._

 _"You're so reckless!", Regina exclaims, huffing and puffing behind him as her pace slows. She slows to a stop, bending forward and leaning both her hands on her bent knees as she struggles to catch her breath._

 _"Oh you are such a princess," Daniel teases fondly._

 _"Not a princess!", Regina counters._

 _"Fine then," the boy huffs playfully before swooping down to gather the brunette into his arms bridal style. Regina squeals in delight, hanging onto his neck. "My queen."_

 _Regina laughs, leaning upward to press a soft and lingering kiss to his lips. "I love you," she breathes._

 _"I love you too," Daniel returns as he begins to walk from the path, down towards a nearby running stream located deep within the heart of the woods. It remains their favorite rendezvous spot._

 _"Oh look how the moon reflects on the water tonight," Regina gasps, eyes wide and starry, "It's just beautiful."_

 _"That it is," Daniel agrees, walking towards the stream. He heads for a large tree just on the banks. From its one thick, prominent protruding branch hangs a long wooden swing upon which he sets the brunette. "But not as beautiful as you," he quips, pushing her gently so as to allow the swing to sway gently back and forth._

 _"Oh Daniel, you flatter me," Regina flirts, quickly turning to gaze over her shoulder at him, batting her eyelashes._

 _"Don't you know it," Daniel chuckles, bending down to press a kiss to her cheek before walking around the swing and taking a seat beside her. Regina lays her head on her lover's shoulder, sighing contentedly and letting her eyes flutter closed._

 _"I wish every night were like this," Regina mumbles happily._

 _"Maybe it will," Daniel replies, turning his head to place a soft kiss to her hair. "When are you going to tell her?"_

 _Regina lifts her head, gazing into his soft grayish eyes with a pained frown. "I don't know…"_

 _"Regina, you have to tell her eventually," Daniel urges, "We can't be sneaking around like this forever."_

 _"I know, I know," Regina sighs, "I just worry."_

 _"About what? It's because of where I come from right? Look, I know I'm not on that same class or status as you but—"_

 _"I know Daniel. I don't care about that. You know I don't. But her…"_

 _"Just tell her, Regina. What can she do?"_

 _"She's strict, impulsive, oftentimes manipulative. What can't she do?"_

 _"But Regina I've seen her kind side. I've seen a bit of compassion in that woman. You never know."_

 _"But should we take that risk? Even if she manages to do something nice it is either fleeting or for her own interest, mostly the latter."_

 _"I know but sooner or later she will find out. And then, Regina, we will have less of a chance of gaining her approval. What did I tell you? Love is all about taking chances, taking risks. You're worth it."_

 _Regina smiles softly, gazing into the loving face of the only person who truly matters to her. He's her rock, her comfort, her escape, her sanctuary. And she wouldn't have it any other way. In her eyes the light of love shines bright._

 _"All right," she whispers softly, reaching towards him to cup his cheek with both hands, her thumbs swiping back and forth against his soft skin. "We tell her tomorrow."_

 _A smile breaks apart Daniel's lips as he mirrors her actions. "I don't want to hide anymore, Regina. I want to begin to show people, everyone that I love you."_

 _"I love you too, Daniel. I love you more than anything."_

"Thank you for choosing British Airways. Please relax, and enjoy your flight." Regina barely catches the end of the pilot's speech over the intercom as she slowly, reluctantly, pulls herself from the memory. She glances wearily over at Emma who seems preoccupied with trying the controls on the television in her mini suite. With a soft sigh, Regina turns back to her side of the suite, surveying its contents quietly. Thankfully hers is the suite against the window. So upon glancing outside, she watches as the airplane taxis slowly towards the runway. How in the hell did she ever get here? With a somber shake of her head she continues to stare out the window, into space. The dull roar of conversations is but background muffling to her ears, offering no comfort whatsoever. Loneliness creeps around her heart, wrapping its tendrils around the fragile organ, squeezing it slowly bit by bit.

The airplane halts, a brief period of stillness before takeoff. Regina watches as the world rushes by triple-time. Soon enough, she is off the ground, shooting upwards towards the sky. The feeling of lightness, of air, fills Regina's heart with a slight comfort. She is flying far away from her sorrow, her pain. Down below, the tall buildings of the airport disappear, houses become smaller, and trees of the forest melt into one consistent tone of dark green. It's slightly comforting, seeing that Regina is technically far from civilization, now gliding amongst the clouds, away from reality. The orange, yellow, and red sunset light shines through each cloud, imprinting their colors upon them. It streams through the windows, coating the entire First Class cabin in its soft glow. It looks like heaven. Regina sighs. Only in her dreams.

Soon enough, the announcement is made to permit freedom about the cabin. So upon hearing it, Regina slips her heels on once more before stepping out into the aisle. Needing to stretch her legs as well as use the bathroom, she heads towards the front. Unfortunately with her luck, there is a line already outside both entrances. With a roll of her eyes, Regina folds her arms, shifting her weight gently from foot to foot impatiently as she resorts to waiting.

Two people in front of her and the brunette is beginning to lose her patience even further. Ready to turn and discard of the entire idea, she whirls around to suddenly face a familiar pair of blue eyes and a wide dimpled smile.

"Alas we meet again, milady."

"Robin."

* * *

 **And so the flight begins...what will become of the next seven hours? Stay tuned! And please don't forget to leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Please enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review!**

* * *

 _There is just something about him the very moment her eyes lay upon his. They say that love at first sight is but a farce, a fantasy. But to her, it would come to mean everything. The eyes tell her all, acting as true windows to the soul. And even in her prostrate position on the floor of the hallway with her books strewn across the tile she knows that he, unlike the others, would have the kindness and dignity not to laugh. She gazes up at him with such intensity, his wide grayish-blue eyes reflecting her image perfectly. She can't help a slight blush appear upon her cheeks as her body heats with embarrassment._

 _"Are you all right? I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there," the boy says quickly, wasting not a moment more to stoop down beside her and help collect her fallen belongings._

 _"Why are you apologizing?", Regina asks, scrambling after him to gather what remains left, "I am the one who tripped over my own damn feet."_

 _The boy chuckles softly, his eyes flashing their warmth and welcome as he turns to her, handing back her books as they both stand. "That you did."_

 _"So what was the point of even saying sorry if you know I am the one to blame?"_

 _"It's called being polite," he states as a matter-of-factly. "But I guess you could make the argument that I was in the way."_

 _Regina scoffs, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear._ _"Do you have a name?"_

 _"Daniel. Daniel Colter," the boy replies with a nod, "And you?"_

 _"Regina Mills," Regina says, beginning to walk down the hallway once more. He follows her, pushing past the swarm of other students who rush to class in this early morning madness. "So are you new here?", the brunette asks, "I've never seen you around before."_

 _"In fact I am," Daniel affirms, "Just transferred this past month."_

 _"Senior?"_

 _"Senior."_

 _"Why so late?"_

 _"Well, my mother finally found a job after being laid off her last so, I guess desperate times call for desperate measures."_

 _"It is good that she at least found a job."_

 _"True, true," Daniel agrees before looking over towards Regina, "And what about you?"_

 _"Me?"_

 _"Yeah, your parents, family."_

 _"Isn't that a little personal?", Regina counters, "I literally have just met you."_

 _"Maybe, but you have to start somewhere," Daniel shrugs._

 _Regina glances at him, a small smirk appearing on her lips as she easily finds herself wrapped in his charm. "My father died when I was four. I hardly remember him. My mother works as a lawyer of criminal justice in her own firm."_

 _"Wow," Daniel remarks, "She seems quite accomplished."_

 _"Yes," Regina sighs, "I suppose she is. But unfortunately that just gives me the added pressure of living up to her expectations."_

 _"True, but you seem to be shaping up well."_

 _Regina laughs, stopping to turn and face him. "Do I now?"_

 _"Yes." There's a silence as both stand there, staring each other up and down. That is until the bell signaling the commencement of classes rings loud and clears through the tiled hallways._

 _"Look I have to go," Regina states, breaking their silence, "Thank you for helping me with my books." She turns to begin walking once more._

 _"Wait, when will I see you again?", Daniel asks, hurrying up behind her._

 _"Oh I don't know," the brunette flirts, "You'll find a way, I'm sure." And with a quick wink, she disappears into the passing crowd of students._

"What are you doing here?", Regina asks, eyes wide as she gazes into the blues of his. They are such a vibrant blue, so calm and gentle. They hold such wonder and spirit that Regina finds she could spend hours gazing upon them, lost in an endless sea of sapphire. From them, there's just this ray of light generating an aura of friendliness that fills her with an unbelievable and slightly overwhelming sense of warmth and amiability.

"Well I believe I'm on board a rather long flight to England," comes the witty answer, "How about you?"

"That's not what I meant," Regina says with a dramatic roll of her eyes, "You're not following me are you?"

"Following you?", Robin laughs, "There are only so many places one can go in this one, rather expensive cabin."

"Yes and you somehow manage to end up in the line for the women's restroom?", Regina scoffs, trying to look visibly irritated, and failing miserably.

"Okay, okay," the man relents, upon deciding to relieve the poor woman of her misery. "I simply saw you in line and thought I'd say hi. The last time we met was—" He glances down at her left toe. "—under some painful circumstances if I can recall."

"Indeed," Regina states coolly, "My toe is still numb."

"That I do apologize for again, milady."

Regina sighs, shaking her head. "It's no matter anymore. It's in the past."

"That it is," the man agrees with a polite nod. But upon seeing the brunette make no other move, he smiles gently at her, saying, "Well it's nice to see you again, Regina. Maybe perhaps one of these times we may have a proper chat." He glances in the direction of the restroom. "But for now I'll let you go." He winks cheekily.

Regina can't help but smirk at the man. "Oh I suppose we'll find a way, I'm sure," she replies softly before slipping past him and into the bathroom stall.

When she returns he is, yet again, nowhere to be seen. Slightly befuddled at these strange, unconventional meetings, Regina finds herself confused as to what she should do next. His last comment echoes in her mind, bouncing back and forth, reverberating against her skull. Perhaps have a proper chat. Should she look for him? Or should she let him come to her? Or even wait and see what the next arbitrary meeting might entail? Glancing about the cabin from where she stands, feeling much like a fool, she finally spots him. There his is, sitting in the suite located in the very back corner, pressed up against the last window.

And it is within this moment of weakness when she decides to slowly approach him.

* * *

Robin sits quietly, gazing out the window at the orange and reddish clouds that float past, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. Soft and puffy, they turn out to resemble a multitude of various shapes that can be viewed as any particular object should a drop of imagination be applied to the viewer's eye. Gazing at the clouds, trying to make sense of their shapes, was one of his most favorite pastimes. He would spend hours on end lying on a bed of green grass, staring up at the sky, in the hills of his large backyard outside his home in South England. Right there was where he allowed his spark of imagination to ignite and run wild. And with the woman he loved right by his side, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

 _"Robin!", Marian laughs aloud, "You can't be serious!"_

 _"I mean it," Robin insists, pointing once more up towards the sky and tracing the outline of the cloud that floats just above them. "Look, there. You see the head here, and how it opens up a little here to make a mouth. A side profile. Yes. Then follow my finger down—"_

 _"Your imagination has really gone crazy this time," the woman giggles, shaking her head endearingly._

 _"Oh you have no idea."_

 _"I think I have an inkling," Marian whispers, lifting her head from his chest and turning over to her stomach to gaze down at him with her large brown eyes._

 _Robin grins, gazing up at her and loving the way the rays of the sun shine down upon her hair. "You do, don't you?"_

 _"Oh I do," she chuckles, ducking down to press her lips against his. He closes his eyes, sighing softly into the kiss, his heart full of love and light. Right now, nothing else matters. It's just her, him, and the clouds. Above them an airplane whizzes by, the sound of its engine slicing through the peaceful quietness of this summer air. "I've known you for a little bit, Robin Locksley."_

 _"Have you?"_

 _"Indeed."_

 _"And what do you know about me?"_

 _"That you are one crazy man with enough imagination for the both of us. Your head is always in the clouds."_

 _"And yours is always buried in the statistics," Robin counters with a raised brow. Marian merely laughs in response, shrugging nonchalantly._

 _"But you know I'm really glad you've decided to take the day off," Robin adds gently in a whisper, his fingers caressing through his girlfriend's brown wavy locks as she rests her head against his chest once more._

 _"Me too," she sighs softly, "I just hope that I won't be returning to a pile of work later on."_

 _"Even if you do, I'm sure you'll manage. You always do."_

 _"I know. It's just I worry—about my absence, you know, about stuff…"_

 _Robin frowns, shifting up onto his elbow to look Marian in the eye properly. "This isn't about Nottingham is it?", he asks with a slight frown. Marian shrugs silently. "Marian, what is it? Maybe I can help."_

 _"Nothing," Marian replies meekly, "It's just that he's been quite aggressive lately, you know, with his company." She shakes her head a second time. "He's been attacking almost all of our assets, turning them against us. The other companies we invest so much in are slowly losing faith in us. He's been busy swooping down, offering them more money, better deals."_

 _"No," Robin states, growing irritated, "He can't run you down like this. He can't ruin everything you've ever worked for."_

 _"I know, Robin," Marian says, "But if this escalates, God knows where we will be in just a few short years."_

 _"I won't let that happen," Robin responds fervently, "Let me talk to him."_

 _"He hates you with a vengeance, Robin, you know that. What makes you think that he'll ever listen to you? You're the last person he'd ever speak with. Plus, you're not even in this business. Unfortunately that's just another reason as to not trust you."_

 _"I know, but I have to try," Robin states determinedly, "I cannot just sit by and watch your company and everything you've done for this company, all the sacrifices you've made for this success, go to waste. I won't have it, not if I can help."_

 _Marian smiles sadly, lifting her hand to cup his cheek softly. Upon feeling her soft touch, the man is instantly comforted. He leans gently into her before opening his eyes once more. "You've already done so much for me," Marian whispers, "And I'm so grateful. It's just—I'm sorry. I'm sorry to drag you into this."_

 _"No Marian," Robin counters, "The last thing you should ever feel is sorry. All that matters is your happiness. And I'm fully willing to sacrifice everything I have for that." He mirrors her gesture, lifting his own hand to cup against her cheek. His thumb swipes over her smooth, delicate skin._

 _"But what about your happiness?", Marian whispers gently, "What will make you happy?"_

 _"Simply us," Robin answers with a firm nod, "Right here. And nothing else but the grass, the trees, and the clouds. Marian, I wouldn't have this any other way. You're all that matters to me. And so long as I have you, I am well beyond happy."_

 _A smile spreads across Marian's features as he speaks the words. It is a smile that fills him with a sense of joy and pride in the woman whom he's proud to call his. "I love you," she breathes softly._

 _"I love you too, Marian. I love you more than anything."_

"I'm afraid they all just look like lumpy orange-ish blobs," a voice suddenly startles him from his reverie. Robin jumps slightly, turning to find himself gazing straight into a pair of familiar dark chocolate eyes. "Yes I know, I am a little lacking in the imagination department," the woman sighs.

"Regina," Robin says surprised. He shakes his head, his heart constricting slightly at her innocent remark. So did Marian. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, there are only so many places one can go in this one, rather expensive cabin," Regina quips, stealing his comment from earlier.

Robin can't help the smirk that spreads across his lips. "And you just so happen to be standing next to my suite."

"Well not exactly," she states, "I was contemplating taking you up on what I assumed was a request to—how did you put it—'have a proper chat', when I saw you across the way, gazing so fixedly out the window like a child in front of a television screen."

Robin laughs, shaking his head once more and sighing gently. "It's nothing. Just…memories."

"Oh," Regina replies, her features falling slightly, "I can relate all too well."

Robin nods, staring at her in a moment of silence before shifting over in his seat. Thankfully, the luxury seats are just large enough to accommodate the both of them if they squeeze. "Please sit," he invites, patting the leather next to him softly.

And so she does.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and stay tuned! More to come! Please don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! I hope you all are doing well with wrapping everything up at school and work before the holidays! Please enjoy this chapter! Here, we delve a little deeper into who exactly Regina and Robin are in this little AU. Please don't forget to leave a review, as I'd love to hear your opinions!**

* * *

"So Regina, what do you do?", Robin asks, as Regina makes herself comfortable on his seat.

"Ugh I hate these introductory questions," Regina mutters, rolling her eyes.

"So do I," the man agrees, "But you have to start somewhere."

Regina eyes Robin carefully upon suddenly catching a strong sense of dejá vu. "I suppose we do," she murmurs.

Robin smiles gently at her, nodding his encouragement before she speaks. "So?"

"I'm a lawyer," Regina states, "Family lawyer to be exact." How ironic is that?

"Really?", Robin asks, intrigued, "Quite an interesting job you have there."

"Mm," Regina remarks with a slight roll of her eyes, "You'd be surprised at how many people want a divorce nowadays. It's quite depressing."

"I can't imagine," Robin remarks courteously, "Having to listen to all of that all day long. You must be quite the strong woman to stomach the nonsense."

"I suppose," Regina sighs. And yet here she is, unable to even have her own life together, never mind deal with the hundreds of others' relationship issues. "You kind of, just, get used to it I guess."

"But you shouldn't," Robin says with a slight sigh of his own. Regina frowns slightly as the man suddenly drops his gaze. "It's a shame people can't seem to make it work, mend their differences."

"I know. I wish it were that simple a fix, mending differences. But then again, if it were that simple, I wouldn't have a job."

Robin smirks slightly. "I guess that much is true. What made you enter into such a career?"

"It was my mother," Regina answers, "She was, is, a lawyer as well. But not for family. She's a criminal defense lawyer."

"She inspired you?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that…"

 _"Regina, dear, you must start thinking about your future. You're getting far too old to be running about, playing games all the time," she scolds as Regina scuttles into the house, her boots muddy from the backyard of their estate._

 _"Mother," Regina groans, kicking off her footwear, "I'm only fifteen."_

 _"Yes, dear, but now's the time that you must start being serious. This is your future that we are talking about. It is prudent that you start planning now," Cora states seriously._

 _"But I have no idea what I want," Regina protests._

 _"Well I know very well of what I want you to do."_

 _"And what is that?", Regina mutters, rolling her eyes._

 _"Regina enough of the attitude," her mother chides warningly. "I want you to have a highly substantial job, one that is secure and steady, one in which you can achieve greatly."_

 _"One like yours," Regina concludes._

 _"Exactly one like mine."_

 _"So you want me to be a lawyer, follow in your footsteps," the young brunette scoffs._

 _"Is that such a bad thing, Regina?", Cora demands, narrowing her eyes at her daughter, "I want you to excel in life. And one good way for you to do that is to enter into a career I know very well. It's so that I can help you."_

 _"It's so that you can control me," Regina utters in contempt._

 _"That's not true, Regina," Cora defends, "You need to stop with such ridiculous notions. I don't know where they're coming from all of a sudden."_

 _"Mother, I don't want to work with criminals. That's just something I refuse to do. And you can't make me."_

 _"There are other numerous types of lawyers out there, Regina," her mother relents exasperatedly, "Take your pick. But I will have you do a one-year internship at the penitentiary with me, just to make certain this isn't what you wish. End of discussion."_

 _Regina growls, however, saying nothing. Although stubborn in her own way, the spicy brunette knows all too well that her mother is one with whom one must never push an argument, no matter how rebellious she may feel. It's frustrating for the young brunette to allow her mother to plan her own life with little to no say of her own in the matter. But there are worse things, she supposes. And when it comes to Cora, well, she is the only one Regina has left after her father._

 _Cora sighs, shaking her head in slight disapproval. "Oh, you'll make one fine lawyer one day, my dear, with an attitude like that I'm sure." Regina simply scowls at her mother, arms crossed tightly over her bosom. "But you'll be going nowhere unless you get yourself a well-rounded education. Now come on. Enough of this nonsense. Wipe off that frown, put on a smile, and start your homework."_

"I was a bit of a smart-mouth back then," Regina explains with a small smile as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear shyly. "I was always trying to push a little more, a little more before I had to inevitably back down."

"Well your mother does sound like a piece of work," Robin adds.

Regina laughs. "Very true. That's exactly what Emma says." She shakes her head. "Mother's not all bad, though. She does have her softer moments every once in a while. She's just…tough, often very judgmental. She has an incredible way of words, an ability to twist them to manipulate others."

"She must be a very good lawyer."

"One of the best," Regina says, nodding firmly, "She's one of the top criminal lawyers in the States. No matter how bad the criminal, she has won almost every case."

"Really? That's incredible. She must be in very high demand then."

"Yes she is," Regina affirms, "She can never catch a break. I'm just glad I'm not like that. I can't imagine having people wanting, wanting, needing me twenty-four seven. It must be so exhausting."

"And stressful," Robin adds, "With all that pressure with all of those people looking to you to help save them from a life in prison."

"Exactly," Regina says, smiling at him.

He is just so understanding. Simply fifteen minutes into talking with this man and she feels as if she can tell him anything. He is simply easy to talk to, so natural. When she talks, he listens, the look of intrigue and true curiosity written all over his features. It is not the feigning of interest that Regina has had to endure night after night of dinner parties and other formal events. This is refreshing, and comforting, knowing that someone is actually listening and hanging onto every uttered word.

"But enough about me and my mother," Regina states, "I want to know what you do."

Robin nods, beaming. "I'm a writer, poet I guess you could say," he announces proudly.

At his answer, Regina's brows arch with pique intrigue. "Is that so?"

"Truly I tell you."

 _"Do you ever tire of sitting there all day, typing away at a small screen for hours on end?", Marian asks, shaking her head endearingly at the man hunched over his desk in the study for the umpteenth hour._

 _"It can't be too different from the way you sit there all day at the office," Robin retorts, continuing to keep his eyes on the screen before him. His fingers never cease to type._

 _"I do not," Marian defends, "I walk around, go to conferences, run errands."_

 _"I know love," Robin states, finally closing his Macbook after finishing his last line. "I'm sorry. I just really wanted to get this finished."_

 _"I can tell," Marian says, starting towards him. She comes to hook her arms around his neck, pulling him close. "What is it about this time?"_

 _"The forest," Robin answers, holding her close._

 _"All of your poems are about the forest."_

 _"Not all."_

 _"A good eighty percent."_

 _"What's wrong with the forest?"_

 _"I just feel like you'd run out of things to say."_

 _"Never," Robin states fervently, "It's much like the sea, dark, mysterious, enigmatic, yet so full of life and spirit so long as you choose the right path to follow."_

 _"You are just a born poet aren't you?", Marian remarks, shaking her head fondly, "I simply don't understand it sometimes."_

 _"The beauty is that you don't have to," Robin says, "Poems aren't always meant to be understood. They can be taken in any way possible. That's what I like about them. They don't have to have one simple meaning."_

 _"I know, you've told me before," Marian replies with a slightly indifferent nod._

 _"You're bored," Robin observes, ever so slightly disheartened._

 _"No no," Maria says, moving to cup his face firmly with both hands, "Not at all. I may not understand completely as to where you're coming from. But I understand enough to know that it's special, that you're special. You have a great gift Robin. You see things a different way, a way that's so strange yet so satisfying to me."_

 _A small smile tugs at the corners of Robin's mouth. "Really?"_

 _"Really. You're an incredible writer," Marian reassures, dropping her hands, "But now that being said, all incredible writers must eat. Come now. Dinner's just about ready."_

She tilts her head, surveying the man before her now in light of this new information. "I suppose I can see that. Well now that I think of it, I definitely see it, especially when I caught you gazing out the window with such earnest."

Robin laughs. "I have a bit of a—crazy—imagination I guess you could say."

"It's refreshing to meet someone like that, though," Regina reassures, "So different from my crowd, who can barely crack a smile at a simple joke. Their heads are so stuck inside their own little boxes it's unnerving at times."

"Unlike you, I'm sure."

"I suppose. However my imagination clearly isn't as good as yours," Regina laughs. "So how many poems have you written?"

"Oh, too many to count," Robin answers with a cheeky smile, "I have them all assembled into one large book of poems which—" His eyes suddenly become alight even further as he bends down to begin rummaging in a backpack that lays next to his feet on the floor. "—I actually have with me…Ah! Right here." He hands Regina a thick white book, the drawn image of a forest at the center of its front cover.

"Wow," Regina breathes, holding the weight of the book in her hand, "This is incredible. _Journey Down Life's Poetry_ by Robin Locksley."

"Cheesy name, I know," Robin comments meekly.

"No, no," Regina says, turning the book over in her hands, "I'd love to read this."

"It's yours if you'd wish," Robin offers.

Regina's eyes widen as she looks from the book to the sweet, wide blue-eyed man beside her who looks as if he is just over the moon with joy. "Really? I can't possibly—"

"No please," Robin insists, "Take it. God knows that I have a billion and one copies at home."

A smile splits Regina's lips. "Thank you," she says graciously, as she flips quickly through the pages, "It looks so interesting."

"Well, just don't get your hopes too high," Robin chuckles nervously, "They're not that good."

"I highly doubt that," Regina states, shaking her head fondly. She glances toward the front of the cabin where a team of flight attendants seem to just be beginning to serve snacks. She gazes back at Robin, suddenly eyeing him shyly as she takes in their comfortable position next to one another, her knee touching his. "I should get back to my seat," Regina announces, "Lest Emma be calling the air marshals should I be reported missing any longer."

"Well we wouldn't want that then," Robin says, the slight look of disappointment in his eyes not unnoticed by the brunette. "Enjoy my book," he adds with a gentle smile.

"Thank you again, Robin. I definitely will," Regina replies.

"And thank you for that proper chat," Robin bids with a slight smirk upon his lips. Regina's lips twitch in return as she tucks the book under her arm. "I hope to see you soon?"

"Well with six and a half hours or so left of the flight, I'm sure it will be simply inevitable."

* * *

 **There's a bit of chemistry, I think.**

 **One note, Cora as you've probably, hopefully, picked up on through the writing, has a bit of a different character in this AU. Yes she is still her strict, stubborn, manipulative self. Yet, she is less of a villain and does have her moments of good.**

 **Thanks for reading as always and please review! Updating soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Greetings fellow OQers! Please enjoy this update and don't forget to comment what you think! Thanks!**

* * *

 _His heart takes to the sky_

 _His soul finally frees_

 _For amidst the sea of green_

 _He runs lost among the trees…_

"Regina…Regina…REGINA!"

Regina jumps almost ten feet into the air at the sound of Emma's third calling. "What Emma?", she sighs, finally looking from the pages.

"I asked what book that is," Emma huffs, shaking her head, "But apparently you're too busy having your nose stuck in said book to even care to enlighten me."

"I'm sorry Emma," Regina says. She closes the book, resting it on her lap. "It's called _Journey Down Life's Poetry_ ," she answers simply, fingertips lightly brushing against the title's golden lettering.

Emma's brows furrow slightly as she leans over her seat to get a clearer glimpse at the front cover. "Robin Locksley," she reads slowly before realization hits. "Wait. Not _the_ Robin? The suitcase Robin?"

"The very one," Regina murmurs, avoiding her friend's eyes.

"You saw him again didn't you?", Emma asks, a devious and knowing smirk forming on her lips.

"Yes," Regina replies, shrugging as if nonchalantly, "What's the big deal? You would have known that sooner had you not been asleep when I returned."

"I know." Emma rolls her eyes. "But he gave you that."

"Congratulations, Ms. Swan, for pointing out the obvious."

"You really don't get it do you, Regina? Are you really that oblivious?"

"No. I ran into him again. We chatted, and he gave me his book of poems to read. What's the big idea?"

"Regina," Emma states, eyeing her with an incredulous look, "I can't believe it. You of all people would recognize when a man is into you."

"I was a very different woman before, Emma," Regina says lowly, her eyes darkening. "Just because he gave me some book doesn't mean anything."

"But he's a poet," Emma insists, "Poets are born romantics. And what do you think poems do? They serve as windows to the person's heart, the person's soul. Every piece of their being is put into what they write. Don't you know that?"

"Oh look who's being all poetic now," Regina remarks, shaking her head. But deep down, she knows Emma is right. It's true that writing is something through which authors or poets use as a means of opening their hearts, conveying a piece of themselves to the world. Could it be possible that Robin gave her that book as a way of giving her a piece of him? Is it a way of allowing her to know him? If he is so willing to open himself to her, he obviously must want something more. It seems like a plausible explanation. And considering the way he regarded her through the entire duration of the conversation, something tells her that this isn't a simple handing over a book. Regina closes her eyes, remembering the way he looked at her as she spoke, his blue eyes penetrating the chocolate of hers. Just the way he looked past her mask of makeup made her feel as if for the first time in a long time she was seen, truly seen. It's a comforting feeling, one that didn't used to but now is entirely foreign to her. It's something that she hasn't had in what feels like years.

"I know," Regina sighs, peeking up at Emma, "I just—I don't want to get too hopeful."

"Sometimes hope is what you need right now, Regina." Regina shakes her head, glancing quickly behind her seat to gaze diagonally across to the back left hand side of the cabin, to where he sits. "That's him over there?"

"Yes." Regina nods. "The one reading." She can't help the soft smile that graces her lips.

"How is he when you spoke?"

"He was nice," Regina admits, "Soft-spoken and considerate. A good listener…a very good listener. He made me feel as if my words were worthwhile."

"He's kind of cute isn't he?", Emma remarks, craning her neck behind her seat to get a better glimpse of the subject of their conversation.

Regina shrugs. "I suppose." She thinks once more to those eyes, those endless reflective pools of blue. What is it that makes them stand out so much? Regina is quick to realize that they are the one predominant aspect of Robin of which she finds herself pondering the most. But suddenly it occurs to her. It's not so much their vibrant color, though brilliant in every which way, but the tenderness and empathy shining through them. But upon gazing back at the critical look in the hazel eyes of her best friend, Regina shakes her head. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Looking at you like what?", Emma questions, feigning ignorance. "I'm just watching you mull over whatever it is you're mulling over."

"Is that all?", Regina inquires skeptically.

"You are smiling."

"Last I checked I'm perfectly allowed to smile."

"You are. Just whatever you're doing, keep doing it," Emma responds cryptically.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing. You just need to smile more often, that's all."

Regina snorts, rolling her eyes. Why her? An hour into this damned flight and there's already more drama over what? Over a man who accidentally ran over her toe with his suitcase. It's ridiculous to consider what Emma might be implying to even be a possibility. This is a plane ride for goodness sake, not some cheesy, overly melodramatic soap opera. Regina has been there before. And she knows all too well where that had taken her. She is certainly not cut out for any of this nonsense. Her past history has proved that much. Regina heaves a large sigh, thoroughly frustrated with herself for allowing Emma's words to penetrate and influence her thoughts. It's irrational, and it needs to be stopped before things escalate. Because another disappointment is not what Regina needs now.

 _She has been avoiding him. That much is clear. Wrapped far too much in her fear, she hasn't even realized that Daniel put everything he has in attempts to get close to her, to ask her out. And every time she turns away, he is overcome by a small pang of disappointment._

 _So it is a Friday when Regina catches Daniel's eye once more from across the cafeteria. And before she can gather all of her belongings properly and attempt to make an excuse to leave, he is striding towards her seat._

 _"Regina," Daniel states, gently taking the brunette by the arm lightly. Regina turns reluctantly to face those gentle gray eyes. He tilts his head as he gazes down at her. "I can't help but feel like you are running from me all the time," he says with a soft smile, "You know I don't bite."_

 _"Is it really that obvious?", Regina mutters, glancing away from him._

 _"It kind of is," Daniel answers with a slight grimace, "No matter what, you are always leaving with some kind of made up excuse."_

 _"Daniel I really don't want to talk about this right now," Regina sighs, tugging her arm from his grasp. She resumes gathering her books. "I have to go to class."_

 _"There it is again," Daniel persists, "Class isn't for another ten minutes, Regina." He sighs, stepping in her path as she tries to brush past him. "Why are you avoiding me?"_

 _Regina shakes her head, glancing into his eyes. "I—", she shuffles her feet, "I don't know."_

 _"I think you do," Daniel says, "You just don't want to say it. What's so bad about, say, going out and getting a bite to eat after class?" There it is. That inevitable question she has been fearing, from which she has been trying to escape all this time through multiple avoidances and excuses._

 _"See, that's the problem," Regina protests, "I can't."_

 _"Why can't you?"_

 _"My mother."_

 _"Since when has your mother stopped you from doing anything?" Daniel frowns._

 _"I really don't want to do this now."_

 _"Then when, Regina? Let's be realistic. I want to see you, actually get to talk to you. I'm tired of these fleeting conversations we keep having."_

 _"I know…I want to see you too," Regina confesses with a sigh._

 _"Then why do you keep running away?!"_

 _"I told you already!" Regina raises her voice, frustrated._

 _"Because of your mother?", Daniel scoffs, "I don't believe that."_

 _"Excuse me?"_

 _"This isn't about your mother, Regina and you know it."_

 _"What makes you think you know me so well?", Regina challenges._

 _"Because I've watched you, Regina. You don't seem like the kind of girl who would allow herself to be tied down." Regina raises a brow but Daniel continues. "Don't think I don't notice when you stand outside before school, around the corner, smoking a cigarette, darkening your lipstick."_

 _Regina's expression drops as her eyes darken. She glares at the boy, stepping up close and invading his personal space. "Stalker," she growls lowly, "You've seen nothing."_

 _"Call it what you like, Regina, but I was passing by and just so happened to see you."_

 _"How many times?", the brunette demands._

 _"That's not the point," Daniel dismisses, "The point is that if you defy her like that, your mother isn't the one who's holding you back."_

 _Regina sighs, her posture sagging ever so slightly as she begins to feel herself grow weary of this interrogation. "Daniel I'm not about to have a heart to heart right in the middle of the lunchroom," she groans._

 _"You don't have to," Daniel answers craftily, "You can have one over dinner with me. Tonight."_

 _"Tonight?!" Regina's dark eyes widen._

 _"Tonight."_

 _"How the hell am I supposed to get out of the house at such a short notice?"_

 _"I'm sure you'll think of something," Daniel replies with a slight smirk. Regina opens her mouth to retort but suddenly the bell rings and Daniel quickly slips from her, merging into the mass exodus out the cafeteria doors. "I'll see you tonight, Regina," he calls, beaming, "At Tony's Pizzeria. Eight."_

 _So it is on this balmy summer night when Regina hurries down the open main road, heading swiftly to the agreed destination of their date—no—their meeting. She enters the restaurant, glancing one last time over her shoulder at the road before looking about the room. The smell of fresh Italian food overwhelms her senses, calming her immediately. It's a homey place, a good choice on Daniel's part she must admit. She spots him just across the way, sitting at a booth towards the back of the restaurant._

 _"Hi," Daniel greets as Regina takes her seat opposite him, "Glad you could make it."_

 _"You're lucky," Regina breathes, shedding her coat to reveal a red blouse that shows a fair amount of cleavage. It's daring, yet not terribly so. A subtle statement._

 _"How did you manage to escape?", Daniel asks with a smirk._

 _"I told my mother I had a study group to go to," Regina replies, shaking her head, "So we better make this quick. I told her I'd be back in an hour and a half."_

 _"I think we'll be able to manage."_

 _Regina nods, smiling slightly as she admires his cheeky confidence. "So now that you've gotten my attention at last, what do you plan to do?"_

 _"Well for starters I could get to know you better by finishing that conversation we began."_

 _"Cutting right to the chase aren't we?", Regina snorts._

 _Daniel shakes his head. "I just want to get to know you, Regina. I want to spend more time with you. Why is that so bad?"_

 _"I don't know, I just—I don't want to lead you on, make you think that—", she inhales, "I don't want to make you think that I'm looking for anything—you know—anything serious."_

 _"What would be so wrong about that?", Daniel asks with a slight frown._

 _"You know, I should be focusing on school and getting into a good college, earning a degree, things like that. Plus, this…whatever this is, it just gets in the way."_

 _"Maybe this is your mother influencing you then," Daniel realizes, slowly deflating._

 _Regina shakes her head. "She believes that love is weakness, that knowledge and influence is where the true power lies."_

 _"And do you agree?"_

 _Regina shrugs. "She wants me to be a lawyer, like her."_

 _"Do you want to?"_

 _"I…um, it's the only option I have at the moment."_

 _"Who said anything about that? You can be whatever you want. It's your life."_

 _"As far as she's concerned it's hers too," Regina mutters._

 _"You're stronger than that. You can do whatever you want despite her."_

 _"I know, but I can't. I can't lose her. She's my mother. She's the only family I have left."_

 _Daniel sighs, shaking his head, frustrated regardless that she'd let her mother shape her like so. "So it's she who doesn't want you to have any kind of relationship because it'll interfere."_

 _Regina nods. "Yes."_

 _"But what about you? Do you want to have a relationship?"_

 _"I don't know," Regina murmurs, avoiding his eyes, "I don't know how. I've never been in one before and I'm not good with commitment. I don't want you to end up being disappointed."_

* * *

He's quietly reading his book, but finds himself rereading the same paragraph over and over again. Since when has Robin ever done this before? For pity's sake the man loves to read. Yet, a certain brown-eyed brunette keeps invading his thoughts, taking even himself by surprise. Surely this has happened to him before with someone else he knows, but that hasn't happened since the very beginning. And quite frankly, it sure as hell shouldn't be happening at this very moment. But alas it is, much to Robin's either relief or dismay, or whichever way he convinces himself. She's just so different, like a breath of fresh air. Surely Regina may have some similarities to Marian. But then again, the two brunettes are just as different as they are alike. Certainly they both are capable in possessing the same professional, no-nonsense demeanor that Robin doesn't in the least bit understand. But Regina is one who possesses something more. It's an appreciation, a respect. It's something that differs far beyond Marian's simple understanding of him. For it is Regina who has seemingly possessed the ability to appreciate and acknowledge and even show genuine interest his passion. That is why he is so thrilled with her reading his book.

So here Robin sits, marveling at the woman who suddenly had quite serendipitously appeared in his life, when there is a book shoved in front of his face. Frowning, he blinks rapidly to find the golden letters of the title of his book staring back at him. He then looks up, gaze coming into contact with a pair of brown eyes belonging to the subject of his previous thoughts.

"Regina," he greets, shifting to angle his body towards her. "Done with my book already?", he asks, trying to mask the hopefulness in his voice.

"I'm returning it," the brunette states emotionlessly. But her eyes slightly soften as she places the book in his hands. "Thank you. It was very kind of you, but I can't accept this."

* * *

 **Now we are starting to get into the meat of things...Stay tuned, another update coming your way soon!**

 **P.S- Hope you liked my little poem ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi all! Hope you all are having a wonderful vacation, and that your holidays were full of joy and peace! I'm back now, giving you more reveal and background on Robin's situation and how this ties into the events happening onboard. Enjoy! And feel free to review!**

* * *

Robin watches her shoulders shrug up and down as she struggles to hold back any emotion.

"I don't understand," he says with a frown, "You don't like it?"

"No, no," Regina replies stiffly, "I love it. It's just…I can't keep this book."

"Why not?"

"I…" He looks at her with such disappointment written across his features, despite his efforts to appear less so. It's a disappointment so prominent, so revealing, that it seems as if Regina almost is tempted to hold back her words. But alas she speaks. "I don't want to lead you on," Regina says with a swallow, "I don't want you to think…" She shakes her head. "It's just best we keep our distance for the rest of this flight."

Robin's frown deepens as he tilts his head, still slightly confused. "I just don't understand what is so wrong with giving you a simple book to enjoy and keep."

Regina shrugs again, silently shakes her head once more. "Why did you give me this in the first place, Robin?", she asks softly.

Robin shrugs. "I thought you were interested."

"I was. I mean, I am."

"You like poetry?"

"I do," Regina confirms.

Robin nods before shaking his head. "My fiancé doesn't," he confesses quietly.

 _"Robin no, please. We've been over this before," Marian says, raising her hands._

 _"Please Marian just take the book," Robin pleads, pushing the hard copy into his fiancé's hands, "Don't you care about what I do?"_

 _"Of course I care," Marian argues, "But that doesn't mean I have to read every bit of writing you produce, especially if it's the same idealistic shit all the time."_

 _"Marian!"_

 _"It's true," Marian says, "Robin, you need to wake up. The world is not the way you paint it. It's not this perfect escape. Wake up and look around you for once."_

 _"You are just on edge because of Nottingham," Robin reasons calmly._

 _"No I'm not."_

 _"Have you ever thought that the writings I produce are just what this world may need?", Robin asks. "In a world full of pain, it is writing that can provide an escape. Don't you see?" He points to the book. "It's a way of spreading hope."_

 _Marian shakes her head. "I just don't understand how you believe you are making such a big difference with one little book."_

 _"Faith, Marian," Robin insists, "If I believe that it has the power to change at least one life, then that's enough for me. That's why I keep writing." He steps towards her. "Trust me on this," he says gently, gathering her into his arms, "Let's not fight anymore."_

 _Marian nods her head, sighing softly into his embrace. "I'm sorry, I just…I don't know what's wrong with me."_

 _"Nothing's wrong with you," Robin counters, "We just think in different ways, that's all. There's nothing wrong with that."_

 _"I suppose not," Marian murmurs._

 _Robin smiles softly, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."_

 _"I love you too," Marian returns before heading back into the kitchen from their place in the study. "And Robin?", she adds. Robin lifts his brows. "I trust you are doing a good job," she states softly before placing the book down onto the desk and continuing into the hallway._

* * *

Regina frowns, her dark eyebrows knitting together tightly. "I don't understand how she isn't at all interested in what you do," she says, shaking her head incredulously, "She's your fiancé." Amidst her disbelief at the other woman's impartiality, she can't help the slight pang of sadness within her chest at the man already having someone with whom he shares his affections. Because how couldn't he? Despite everything else, the woman is his fiancé for a reason. Not to mention that this bit of new information ultimately proves that her assumption had been wrong.

"I mean she, in her own way, acknowledges what I do at least, she sort of understands it's special to me. But she finds it very hard to…"

"Relate?", Regina offers.

Robin nods. "She only sees what I do as something so superficial when to me, it's much more than that. So you can tell I was so delighted to find that you are actually interested in reading what I love to write."

Regina ducks her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear shyly. "Well," she says, looking the man in the eye, "Your fiancé would be a fool not to respect your work." She smiles softly, nodding in the book's direction. "It's genius."

Robin laughs, shrugging. "Well I wouldn't go so far as to say that," he states meekly, the slight blush on his face not unnoticed. The man is indeed the sweetest, most humble man she has ever met. And he is so beautiful…with those eyes.

Regina breaks her gaze from his, incapable of stopping the growing knot inside her stomach. "This is just a misunderstanding," Regina concludes disheartened, gaze cast downward.

"My apologies," Robin returns quietly.

Regina nods, forcing a small smile. "I think it's best you keep the book," she whispers.

"Whatever you wish, milady. No hard feelings."

Regina turns, walking a few steps before looking over her shoulder as she still feels eyes upon her back. "I enjoyed what I've read though," she compliments gently.

Robin smiles softly in response. "I'm so glad you did."

* * *

He is a man of honor, a man with a code as one might say. However as for this very moment it frustrates Robin to no end that for the first time in what feels like eons, such a code is suddenly, truly, put to the test. There's just something about Regina, something so alluring, despite his conscience begging for him to resist. He just can't help but feel the attraction, especially after he has found that she shares the same interest in poetry as he does, something obviously far more profound than Marian. But alas he cannot think this way. He is a man of a code, a man to be wed. And although not his wife to have and to hold just yet, Robin can't help but still feel indebted to her. It has been a burdening feeling that has plagued him now more than ever.

But unfortunately for him, aside from the fact that he had placed that engagement ring upon his beloved, Regina has undoubtedly implied that she for some unknown reason is not looking for a relationship. And it pains Robin to think that he'd been unknowingly imposing upon her when she is clearly a woman of her own troubles just as much as he. Her rejection however, though seemingly void given the fact that she knows of his current relationship status, has left an undesirable ache in his chest. For here is a woman, with whom he can relate even better than with his fiancé.

So upon having been plunged into this melancholy state of mind Robin sits back against the leather seat, staring quietly out the window. That is, until he is interrupted by a flight attendant who places a healthy garden salad along with a fresh loaf of bread on the small table beside his seat.

"Dinner already?", Robin mutters, examining the delightfully appealing food before taking up his fork. He glances at his watch. An hour and a half into the flight, so much has happened so far thus prompting his need to refuel.

As he eats, Robin quietly reflects upon the past few years with Marian.

 _He has never been the jealous type. No, it isn't in his personality at all. Neither does Robin expect much from his significant other, other than her love, affection, and loyalty just as he'd promised her his. That being said, he has always been one who never complained should Marian have to take calls in the middle of the weekend, or have nights in which she returns late from work. He respects the woman's work and her sincere dedication, quite possibly more so than she has for his own work._

 _However the Nottingham situation that had been plaguing the company proves to be a difficult challenge for Robin to maintain his patience and consideration. Frustrated by the fact that Marian keeps refusing for him to interfere, the man finds himself dismayed by the fact that the woman has preoccupied herself with a situation, a burden that can be lifted with his aid, thus allowing her to spend more time at home…like she used to. But being the stubborn woman she is, Marian continues to refuse over and over, rejecting his help and not wanting Robin to be a part of any of this mess, no matter how badly he wishes to interfere._

 _Of course the man has thought about acting behind her back. But then again this would be breaking another one of his codes, that of truthfulness._

 _So here Robin sits quietly on a lonely Friday night to himself, as usual, with a half glass of red wine in his right hand and a full one set aside untouched. For the first time the page in front of him is blank, his flood of inspiration dried and drained by the pit at the bottom of his stomach, by a compression that constricts the emptiness in his chest. It's quiet._

 _Ten thirty and she walks through the door, her heels clicking against the wooden floor of their abode. The sound wakes Robin, who has fallen asleep on the couch with an open book face down across his lap._

 _"Marian," Robin mumbles, coming to as he rubs at his eyes._

 _"Sorry I woke you," Marian states, setting her briefcase down, "It's been a hell of a day."_

 _"It's always a hell of a day," Robin murmurs, "I thought you'd call."_

 _"I forgot," the woman dismisses as she clicks her way to the glass of wine Robin had poured and left on the coffee table in front of him in the living room. He watches as she takes a large sip and sighs, tilting her head back as if in relief. "Mm," she hums as what can be constituted as "thank you"._

 _Robin smiles gently, pushing himself to stand and approaching his woman. He's about to embrace her when she suddenly turns oblivious and heads back into the kitchen. "Any leftovers?", Marian asks, rummaging through the refrigerator._

 _"Chicken caesar in the blue container on the left," Robin says, clearing his throat as he follows behind. He tries to push down the swell of emotion welling up from the depths of his chest._

 _"I'm starving," Marian remarks, ripping off the lid to the container and plunging her fork straight into the salad. Robin smiles slightly, deciding to try again and wrap his arms around his woman from behind. Marian continues to eat as he kisses her cheek and then her neck and then down to her shoulder. However once there, his fiancé shrugs him off. "I'm eating Robin, please," she scolds lightly._

 _"You're always doing something," Robin pouts, pressing another kiss to her cheek._

 _"Maybe you're just always catching me at a bad time," Marian retorts._

 _"So then any time I try is a bad time. Marian, it has been so long…"_

 _"I've been busy, Robin, can't you see?"_

 _"Of course I do, love, I understand. But it's getting to be too much."_

 _"Too much?", Marian echoes, turning to face him, "And what about all the time you spend sitting around all day writing down the fantasies in your head. Does that not count at all?"_

 _"You make it sound so terrible. At least I respect your work," Robin says, trying not to sound hurt._

 _"Clearly you don't, Robin, or you wouldn't be having this conversation with me right now," Marian argues._

 _"Marian I miss us," Robin sighs, "I miss those days underneath the clouds on a sunny day in the fields. Don't you?"_

 _"Of course I do. But we can't be happy until this company is back on track and Nottingham is out of our hair for good."_

 _"And it will happen faster if you let me help."_

 _"How many times do I have to tell you?!", Marian explodes, "I said no! You just want to interfere and fix this quickly so that you can have me all to yourself again."_

 _"That's not true," Robin defends, "You know I'm not that type of person."_

 _"Could have fooled me, Robin, you could have fooled me."_

That was indeed a terrible night. Robin grits his teeth in annoyance, shaking his head as if to shake off the memory. He hadn't realized he'd been cutting the same piece of steak from his main course dish. Popping said mangled piece into his mouth, the man finishes his plate, eager to turn his focus back to the food. It is quite delicious. Then again, one would expect no less from one of the most prestigious luxury First Class airlines.

With dinner done and a deluxe crème brûlée with fresh fruit on the tray, Robin glances over the book Regina had returned. His fingers trace the writing on the page, knowing that she had touched them, had read them, and had possibly enjoyed them. Then why exactly had she returned the book? This is the million dollar question.

The man shakes his head again of the thought. Feeling as if he is in need of a walk, Robin pops the last bit of the creamy custard past his lips and stands from his chair. He heads into the men's room to freshen up, wash his face, and brush his teeth. Upon emerging from the enclosed space, he finds the main cabin bathed gently in darkness, the lights having been dimmed to accommodate for a restful and relaxing overnight flight.

After settling back into his seat, Robin produces his MacBook from his bag and proceeds to type, adding more to a new collection of poems meant to be finished and published once arrived back on English soil. He works for about a half an hour to forty-five minutes; writing, rewriting, perfecting his poems, ever mindful of poetic devices, diction, compelling similes and metaphors and personification, imagery, all of the tactics used to create a riveting, captivating masterpiece.

By the time he feels as if he has created something of which he can be proud, Robin shuts his laptop, feeling as if he has more of a grip on things. Conversation has died within the cabin for the most part, save for a few whisperings and low chatter here and there. But overall, many have resorted to their iPads, iPods, MacBooks, or their personal televisions for nighttime entertainment. In general, it is rather quiet.

Robin glances around, able to spot Regina's suite at the center of the aisle. He can just barely make out her huddled form, guessing that she might be asleep. Nothing from her since. No word. He tries to not let it affect him that much. However deep down against his conscience, Robin wishes he could spend more time with her, talk, get to know her better, the normal type of thing if that even exists nowadays.

Another half hour had passed and Robin has been tossing and turning. Unable to get comfortable in his seat, which he had turned into a bed, the man finds himself standing once more, stretching his back. He knows it's his thoughts, not so much the sleeping accommodations. Heading towards the front of the cabin, Robin silently tiptoes through the cabin. Nothing is heard except for the occasional shuffling from one suite or another that is until he passes the center aisle. The noise that has traveled his ears having the man do a double take. Truly at first Robin had thought that his ears have been playing tricks on him, however the sound is real, especially when he finds himself backing up towards said sound.

It is ever so gentle, a soft crying so faint, yet ever so prominent to his ears and his alone. Why? Because it is coming from Regina Mills.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter, will be updating soon so stay tuned! Don't forget to review! Thanks and until next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Another update for you all! Getting even further into the nitty-gritty of Regina's fear now. Hope you enjoy! And please leave a review, love hearing what you all think!**

* * *

Regina had left Robin's suite with a heavy heart after finding that she couldn't quite bring herself to fully articulate her fear. The reason, in part, being that Robin is indeed engaged. And the resulting disheartened look upon her face, no matter how hard the brunette tries to keep hidden, does not go unnoticed by the perceptive Emma Swan who waits eagerly for her arrival.

"I take it that it didn't went well," Emma remarks, deflating slightly as she watches her somber friend return to her seat.

"I mean, nothing really happened," Regina replies with a shrug and a forced look of indifference written across her features.

"Well, 'nothing' doesn't seem to be exactly a good thing in this case, by the looks of it."

Regina shakes her head, ignoring her friend as she turns towards the appetizer, a garden salad and loaf of bread, which is placed on her tray. She picks up her fork, stabbing a tomato with more force than necessary to complete the task. Out of the corner of her eye she can see the blurry image of her best friend shaking her head.

"Come on, Regina," Emma pries, "What is it? You gave him the book back. Did you tell him why at least?"

Regina turns abruptly towards the blonde, large chocolate eyes flashing. "He's engaged," she confesses with a sneer, "You've got your answer, Ms. Swan."

Emma's brows lift as she leans back against her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "So that's what this is about."

"Why do you do this to me?", Regina questions, shaking her head irritably, "You give me all these pep talks about hope and moving on and look what happens. I end up feeling worse than I did before."

"Hey, you're the person who decided to bring the book back in the first place, not me," Emma states defensively.

"You know what I mean, Emma," Regina replies exasperatedly.

"Oh so you do listen to what I say," Emma says, raising her brows, a small smile of triumph pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"That's beside the point," Regina states, "The point is that Robin is married, or I mean going to be married, and that's it." She closes her eyes, sighing softly. "He gets his wife, I get my misery."

"You're always so melodramatic," Emma chastises lightly.

"You make what happened seem like something so petty."

"No. I'm just trying to make it seem like something that doesn't mean the coming of the apocalypse," Emma corrects. "Robin was a nice try. Now you know."

"You are real good at comfort," Regina says, pushing a forkful of salad from her otherwise untouched first course.

"You will find someone, Regina," Emma reassures, "He's out there somewhere."

Regina shakes her head. "I'm not even looking for anyone. Which brings me to another question as to why this is even a topic of discussion."

"Because that man clearly has had an effect on you," Emma answers, "Don't deny it."

 _"Regina, I really like this guy," Emma remarks, "He's so nice!"_

 _"Nice?", Regina scoffs, "You meet the first boyfriend I've ever had and all you can say is 'nice'?"_

 _Emma shrugs. "What? He is. He's just so polite and I can definitely tell he is into you. You absolutely can't deny it."_

 _"Well of course," Regina says with a smirk, "Why wouldn't he be?" The blonde laughs._

 _For Regina it had been quite a stretch to finally allow Emma to meet Daniel. After just having cleared Emma's case a month ago, the two have not had the best of times trying to see eye to eye on various matters. However as a sort of way to step forward, Emma as well as Daniel saw the encounter as something to be of benefit for the two young women. So the two met._

 _It was a quaint little gathering at a nearby coffee shop. There were smiling faces, warm hugs and handshakes, warm coffee all around. It all came as a surprise to Regina, how well everything turned out to be. It warmed her heart like she wouldn't imagine, not only to let Emma into her affairs a little more but also to finally be able to share the news of her relationship with someone else. After all, keeping a secret did prove to be quite the heavy burden. And with this encounter, Regina felt as if a part of that burden was somehow lifted._

 _"I can't believe you got this one to finally crack," Emma had joked, causing Regina's cheeks to turn a rosy color._

 _"Lots of love, lots of time," Daniel answered graciously, turning towards the reddened brunette with a kind smirk._

 _Regina shakes her head fondly at the memory. And she's so glad she did, "crack" as Emma had so eloquently explained._

 _"So are you going to tell Cora?", Emma now inquires, "You've been at this, what? For like almost a year. It's almost graduation."_

 _Regina sighs, hating that Emma has to bring up the elephant in the room. She shakes her head. "No," Regina groans, "You know I can't."_

 _"But you even said it yourself. Your mother might understand. 'She has her moments'. That's how you put it."_

 _"I know, but—"_

 _"We were able to finally make her understand with me."_

 _"Emma, I know but that's different. We're talking about a boy here. And Daniel and I aren't going to break up. I can feel it, Emma." Regina smiles softly, stepping closer to the wide-eyed blonde. "He's the one."_

 _"Regina…," Emma whispers, "You don't mean…"_

 _"Yes I do," Regina says softly. And raising her hand to the silver chain around her neck, she reveals, from underneath her t-shirt, a small diamond ring through which the chain is threaded. The brunette's smile widens._

 _"Regina, oh my God," Emma breathes, bending closer to get a better glimpse at that ring. "You've got to be kidding me. He—he proposed to you?!"_

 _"It's a promise ring," Regina explains, turning the ring in her fingers, "Of course not now. We are far too young. But—" She beams at her friend. "—But we will. In the future."_

 _"Regina, I don't know what to say," Emma whispers. She shakes her head, looking into wide brown eyes so full of light and excitement. They are truly a change from what they used to be when the two first met in the penitentiary. No longer are they full of loneliness. "Why do you trust me with all this information? I could easily—"_

 _"But you won't," Regina says, "Emma, I know we've had our fights but always with you, I've felt like I can tell anything. I know you'll keep my secret."_

 _Emma smiles gently at her new best friend, her own eyes shining. "I promise," Emma whispers with a firm nod. "You're secret safe with me."_

Regina continues on with her dinner, the New York sirloin practically melting on her tongue. It helps take the edge off her hunger, but fails to do the same with her somber mood. It frustrates her to no end that she feels like this. This is exactly why she doesn't wish to even try with such capricious pursuits, which turn out to be nothing but empty.

She shoves the last piece of steak past her lips before handing the tray to a passing attendant, refusing dessert. Instead, she shifts the back of her seat into its horizontal position, kicks off her shoes, and lies down; not able to help but have her thoughts wander back to Robin. So many unanswered questions, that she wishes don't, plague her mind. The man is engaged. However he doesn't seem to be happy. From a lawyer's point of view, this would constitute in a two to six month marriage, a quick yet messy divorce, and loads of unwanted paperwork. It saddens Regina to no end that this could very much be Robin's future if he chooses to go through with this. How could something so painful happen to a good man such as he? The man deserves so much more, something that Regina would be more than willing to offer. But cannot. Her heart is broken. She is not ready. Perhaps she will never be ready. She's afraid, afraid to be alone once again, afraid to have an even deeper hole within her heart than from the start. And with what Robin had offered, the hope and light he had offered in such a book of beautiful, well-written poems, it was just far too much. Regina just can't let herself be sucked in once again. She can't allow herself to grow a fondness for the man behind the words, for an emotion such as that is sure to turn into something more, something now of which to be feared.

Her mind wanders back to Daniel, the only era in her short life when everything just seemed to fall into place.

 _It's true what Daniel had said. All it took was lots of love, lots of time. They spent the better part of their afternoons together; studying, reading, watching movies, going for walks on the narrow paths through the dimly lit forest behind her mansion, all unbeknownst to her mother. Little by little Regina found herself opening slowly to the possibility of commitment, of love. And for the first time in what feels like forever, Regina felt whole again. She felt happy. She felt as if she had a purpose, something for which she could now live aside from, something different from the burden of her mother's expectations that have been lying heavily across her shoulders. Yet even with such pressure, Daniel was able to offer his help more than Regina had ever imagined, teaching her better ways to study, better techniques to use to ace exams, to be the best student she could possibly be._

 _With a few extra hours each day, and more than a few pep talks, Regina became top of her class by graduation, the pride and joy of her mother and boyfriend. The ceremony was extraordinary. The young brunette couldn't have felt any lighter that day. Everything just seemed to have fallen into place. A full scholarship to Harvard, and the valedictorian of her class, Regina became the woman her mother always wanted, but also the girl Daniel always knew she could be. Strong-willed and independent yet soft and compassionate, Regina had her eggs within her basket, and the one she loves by her side. Striding up to the podium, head held proudly, she began her speech. Speaking beautifully as always, she captured the audience, entrancing them with her profound and powerful words of good will to the future, a bright speech filled with optimism, with hope. Her brown eyes were alight that day, shining forth their spirit as the crowd stood with a round of applause._

 _Regina accepted her certificate with all the grace and beauty of a well-cultured student, one her way to an inevitable path of success. She threw her cap with all her might, and amidst the rain of surrounding caps, kissed the love of her life and thanked him for saving her._

 _So here Regina sits, heart bursting with joy as she gazes back at the boy who sits with her upon the swing, which he had built in celebration of graduation. It's a beautiful swing, one that Regina had requested they have each time they walked past that beautiful hidden river amongst the trees of the forest. The tree was large, its branches sturdy. It was perfect. This is perfect. It's everything she'd ever wanted._

 _"I love you," Regina whispers, wonder filling her starry eyes as she cups Daniel's chin. Daniel smiles back at her, eyes penetrating hers with love and affection._

 _"Do you like the swing?", he asks._

 _"Do you have to even ask?", Regina laughs softly, "It's beautiful. How did you get the wood to be so smooth?"_

 _"Lots of love and lots of time," is the answer and Regina blushes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear._

 _"Thank you for everything, Daniel," Regina says, "Really. Thank you."_

 _"There's no need," Daniel replies with a shake of his head. "It was all you."_

 _"No it wasn't," Regina disagrees, "It was you. You opened my heart. You taught me how to be open to the possibility of letting go, how to love."_

 _"I don't understand," Daniel says, frowning slightly, "I don't believe for one minute that you were as unfeeling, as closed off at you say you were before. Sure you may have seemed shy but…"_

 _"No," Regina whispers, "I was…empty." She sighs softly. "Coldness was all I'd ever known. My mother was never a warm person. She never accepted any friends I even tried having. The more she turned them away, the more she shunned them, the more friends I lost. I soon ended up with no one. Quickly I just learned that being solitary was what I was meant to be. I became an outcast in school. You saw. Everyone laughed at me. My mother always told me that having someone to care for is weakness, is a distraction." Regina gazes into his gray eyes softly. "That's why I'm so afraid of telling her," she states, "I don't want to lose you too. I can't lose you. You are my savior. You saved me from my loneliness."_

That night was the happiest Regina had ever been. She remembers it all. The cool summer breeze. The feeling of his soft, soft lips upon hers. His taste. The warmth of his embrace. The look of adoration in his eyes, as if she was the only thing that mattered in his universe. Where did it all go? How could it have gone? Daniel. Her heart aches for him once more. Her soul cries out to be loved just like that once more, but at the same time is afraid to crack, to let those walls down once again.

So Regina finds herself in a light yet fitful slumber. Her shoulders shake softly as she cries in her sleep, unbeknownst to anyone around her. Small tears slide down the smoothness of her skin and collect in a pool, a small circle of dampness on the leather underneath. Her mind is in pieces, her chest physically aching. Regina is so deep into her dream that she doesn't realize a gentle hand upon her shoulder, shaking her softly.

"Regina," a gentle voice calls to her in a hushed whisper. Regina's eyes fly open as she startles awake. She lifts her head to see a pair of familiar eyes staring straight back at her, eyes full of concern.

"Are you all right, milady?", Robin asks gently, placing tender hand upon the small of the brunette's back as she sits up, wiping her eyes.

"I—I'm fine," Regina stammers, embarrassed that he had to see her this way. She looks up at him, her brown eyes wrought with pain and confusion. "Why are you here?"

"Forgive me but I was passing by. I heard you and decided it best to check and see if you are all right," Robin explains, "I'm sorry to have startled you."

Regina shakes her head. "It's of no matter. Thank you."

"That's quite the dream you seem to have had there," Robin comments softly before glancing towards the edge of her seat. "May I?" Regina nods, shifting over some to allow for the man to perch on the edge of her seat. "Do you want to talk about it?", he asks, his hand still placed upon the small of the woman's back.

Regina shakes her head once more, shrugging hopelessly. "What's there to talk about?", she mutters. "A dream is just a dream," she adds sadly.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed reading! Note that many of these flashbacks will refer to previous flashbacks...it's all connected ;) Don't forget to please write a review on your way out, and I thank you so much for those written so far! They mean lots! More to come soon so stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey all, short update! Hope you like the feels! Please feel free to comment as always, lots of love!**

* * *

Robin tilts his head from side to side at her saddened remark. "Shall I leave?", he inquires as a way of being considerate despite the fact that leaving Regina in this state is the last thing he would want to do.

He watches as the woman beside him looks as if she is struggling with some kind of internal conflict. There are so many unreadable emotions flitting across her features that it's hard to count. She shrugs, trying and failing to appear nonchalant.

"I'm sorry," Regina apologizes as she hangs her head shamefully. She is never one to cry in public. She would never be one to show such a weakness. And quite frankly, she is embarrassed by the fact that she was caught. "You shouldn't be seeing me like this."

Robin shakes his head, his brows knitted together with worry. "Please don't apologize, milady," he replies gently, his hand rubbing soothingly up and down her back. It's a simple gesture that allows the brunette to compose herself in the solace of knowing that she is not alone this time, that there is someone there willing to sit by and comfort her, despite the current undoubtedly awkward situation between the two. "I understand."

Regina sniffs. "All due respect but I don't think you do, Robin. What makes you think you know me so well?"

"Because I know a broken heart when I see one, Regina," Robin replies sincerely, his eyes full with sympathy to which the brunette shakes her head.

"I don't need your pity."

"I think deep down you actually want to talk about it," Robin states. But upon thinking it best to pry no more, he chooses not to push. "But I won't force you to tell me. It's not right of me to. Just know that should you need anything, you can always come to me," he states by way of conclusion. However as he stands, it is the soft catch, the tugging of his hand, which forces him to look back towards the brunette in confusion.

"Stay with me," Regina whispers impulsively, the words startling herself just as they do the man standing over her with a bemused frown upon his face. The flash of fear that darts across his eyes does not go unnoticed by the other party.

Is she really asking what he thinks she is asking? Robin's heart skips a beat as his thoughts immediately turn towards the engagement, towards Marian. But then again, he is just to stay with her. Nothing else. The man gazes down at the brunette, her eyes wrought with pain and misery. And right in this moment, Robin finds he would do just about anything to erase such looks from that beautiful face of hers, a face that should be glowing with happiness and light, not dim with the darkness of sorrow. So before his conscience can supply any further input, the man finds himself sliding in behind Regina, squeezing between the wall and the brunette on this small makeshift plush leather bed.

He cradles her with his body as much as he can while Regina finds herself unable to stop herself from pushing her back against his chest for further support. This, she feels, is the most comfort she has ever felt in a long time. She thinks back to a time when Daniel used to do this with her whenever her troubles with Cora became too great. He had provided a firm support for her both physically and mentally. And it was all she needed. No big speeches, large professions of sympathy, pity, and understanding. It was just a simple gesture such as this.

It is a gesture that which Robin slowly begins to find himself warming up to. He can't help but relax into her despite his opposing thoughts. Unable to help himself, he buries his nose in her soft ebony locks, noticing the way that she smells faintly of apples. It's a soothing smell, which he finds he likes very much. He likes it very much so. And with a soft smile to himself and the sigh of the woman lying against him, the pair fall fast asleep.

 _They are running through the forest together, the wind at their backs, and the rays of sunlight in their path. Regina is laughing as she struggles to catch her lover who is just a single step ahead. She pursues him hot on his tail, squealing his name in ecstasy as he runs even faster, pushing her limits of swiftness further and further._

 _Daniel calls her name in a playful taunt. Regina is just about to catch him until suddenly her foot catches a rock protruding from the ground and falls hard on her front, rolling a ways and scraping the better part of her forearm. She grits her teeth in pain, forcing herself to keep her tears at bay as they flood her vision, making her world blurry. She grasps at her arm in pain, witnessing a large red and muddy gash splitting her otherwise perfect olive skin. There's dirt all over the front of her white sundress._

 _She is still trying to catch her breath from the fall that took the air from her lungs, and stopped her heart for but a few moments. Her wound is bleeding. Blood is trickling down her arm and dropping onto the dirt path. Regina looks up and sees her beloved, Daniel, continuing to run oblivious to what has happened. She calls his name. But he cannot hear, for he is too far ahead. He is fading slowly into the distance little by little as his form disappears amongst the trees, never looking back even once, leaving her on that tiny little path amongst the endless sea of green. She is alone._

Forty-five minutes later and Regina opens her eyes slowly, at first unaware of the pair of strong arms wrapped around her middle. She freezes momentarily until the realization hits as her memory kicks in. Robin. Turning her head she shifts slightly to glance over her shoulder at the sleeping man behind her. Not wanting to wake his peaceful state, she surveys him quietly in the dim light of the cabin.

Robin is sound asleep. A few strands of his hair spill freely over his forehead, making him appear all the more desirable. His features look so relaxed, so serene. His eyelids flutter slightly. His lips slightly parted in a soft oval. For a split second, Regina contemplates what it would be like to kiss such soft-looking lips, and feel his stubble brush her skin in the process. And Regina can't help but smile fondly at the sight, and the thought. But no sooner when she smiles does she stop herself, scolding and cursing internally for looking at a soon-to-be-married man like that. So upon feeling the need to stop her wayward thoughts, she elbows him softly in the stomach, earning a grunt from the man who contracts abruptly in his sleep. Perhaps that was too hard a nudge. The brunette tries again, nudging him this time a tad softer than before. This seems to do the trick as he stirs even further to the point of peeking one stunningly blue eye at her. He seems to almost be pouting.

"You're very hot," Regina admonishes as an excuse to shift from his arms.

"Why thank you, milady," comes the smug answer to which Regina rolls her eyes. Robin chuckles softly, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "You seem better," he observes respectfully.

Regina shrugs. "Better isn't exactly a word I'd choose," she sighs, "But yes." She peeks at him from underneath her lashes, feeling a slight bit of color flush her cheeks. "Thank you. I mean. For staying with me, that is."

Robin smiles warmly, placing his hand over hers gently. "It's my pleasure," he replies sincerely.

"I just…I've been going through a rough time and…" She trails off.

"I understand. I just wish there's something I can do to ease the pain." His heart aches for her. For whatever her situation may be, whatever had happened must be far worse than his own. It hurts him to see such a beautiful woman as she so clearly broken. So many questions run through his mind at the moment. What in the hell happened?

Regina shakes her head. "There isn't," she replies with a sigh, "I just wish I could repay you for your kindness and compassion."

Robin frowns, shaking his head in return. "No, please don't, I don't want any—" He pauses to think a moment. Perhaps there is one thing. For there is one question that has been plaguing his mind above all the others. "—Just answer me this," he continues cautiously, "Why exactly did you return my book?"

He watches as the brunette's eyes widen slightly as her breath catches in her throat. "I—", she stammers, "I thought I told you."

Robin shakes his head. "Your answer of you not wanting to lead me on was vague," he elaborates.

The brunette closes her eyes almost as if pained to reveal such a truth. "I just—", she takes a deep breath, "Because I felt as if you were trying to give me something more than this book," she confesses, "And…I couldn't accept."

"Something more," Robin repeats slowly, the crease between his eyebrows deepening, "I…"

Regina shakes her head, sighing. "I don't know, Robin," she whispers, "Just about the book, I didn't want to come across as uninterested. I genuinely was, am. It's just…I felt like—" She shakes her head. "—I don't know. I guess I was just…"

"Overthinking things?", Robin finishes, tilting his head softly.

Regina nods quietly, her chocolate eyes shining through the conflicted emotions that dart across her features. "When you gave me that book, I just felt as if you were giving me a part of you. I felt like it was a way for you to open up to me, because I don't know. Maybe you were looking for more, and trying to tell me that by having me read your poems of love and passion. And I was, I am just not…"

"Ready," Robin whispers softly. He shakes his head. "Regina it's okay. I understand."

"I guess I just didn't tell you this because I was afraid that I felt foolish. For now I know you have a fiancé, and it makes my assumption essentially one of ignorance and stupidity."

"No, please don't," Robin replies quickly, "I'm sorry too if I led you on to think in such a way."

"As I said it was a simple misunderstanding," Regina sighs, shaking her head. She gazes back at him, holding him in her wide chocolate eyes that shine in the dimly lit cabin. "And this can't happen again," she whispers, glancing down at the bed and gesturing between herself and the man in front of her. "You understand."

"I know," Robin sighs somewhat sadly, for the man cannot help but feel his heart sink within his chest. For deep down in his heart of hearts, he enjoyed this simple sleeping together. "It's just—I can't help but feel as if this was the best sleep I've ever had."

* * *

 **Will they give into their thoughts of fondness about one another, or let their own fears hold them back? Stay tuned to find out!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey all! A bit of a new perspective on things to start out this chapter. Hope you enjoy and please leave a review if you so choose. As always I'd love to hear from you. You more than anything influence my writing so I'm more than excited to** **read what you all have to say! Enjoy!**

* * *

Love is a fussy, fickle little thing. No one knows that better than Emma Swan in this case. She is, in a way, simply more experienced than her brunette friend. Like Regina, Emma also guards her own emotions to the point of almost isolation. Yet, she has always been one to whom men just seemed to gravitate toward, whereas the latter deems herself to be more of the unapproachable type. For the blonde, there was Neal, followed by Walsh, and finally Killian. All were men more than worthy; strong-willed, passionate, compassionate men who each tried their best to break down the walls surrounding Emma's guarded heart. And in doing so, each have managed to teach her a valuable lesson.

Therefore after such experiences, it is with no surprise that Emma knows exactly of the emotions with which Regina must be facing. Scared, terrified of her feelings, confused, just on the brink of deciding to take that golden chance of tearing down a wall or two with the possibility of the slimmest chance of hope. The blonde has known it all. And now, she sees such emotions so clearly manifested in her best friend. The only thing that surprises Emma, however, is the fact that Regina is faced yet again with such a challenge so early after what had happened. Being the brunette's best friend, possibly the only closest and most trusted person in the woman's life, Emma knows all too well of Regina's thick, icy barriers, harder and colder than her own. She is surprised that Regina would even let herself feel even a smidgen of fondness for another man.

Everyone has walls that they build to protect the most vulnerable parts of themselves. One rarely finds a truly open book nowadays. However Regina's book has been found to be way harder to crack than most. Emma blames it on Cora, seeing the whole situation between mother and daughter as highly unfortunate. And as a result, she has made it her mission to try and spread warmth through the ice and show Regina that the world isn't as cold as it may seem, that there are still people who can be trusted; one of them being namely Robin Locksley.

From the first moment Emma had laid eyes upon him, she knew that he would be the one. He would be the one to break down those walls. He would be the one to burn through the ice to the core of a heart so cracked, frozen by the past. The very prospect of having Regina be filled with the warmth of happiness like when with Daniel made Emma almost giddy with excitement. That is why from the very start, the blonde pushed for Regina's perseverance with this man despite fear and preconceived notions placed upon the brunette's shoulders as a burden from the events of the past. The thing is that Emma considers herself to be fairly skilled in reading people. And immediately she saw that this man could quite possibly hold the key to her friend's true happiness.

Just the way Robin looked. The kindness in his eyes and the spirit held behind them were all indicators that lit up like flashing red signs inside Emma's mind that very first moment. The way he looked at Regina, as if he seemed to look right through her and see straight past those dense, opaque walls reminded Emma much of a certain other someone who used to make her best friend's face light immediately like a Christmas tree should his name even be mentioned. She wants terribly for her friend to find that once again. For Emma knows that Regina has worked far too hard, embarked on far too many excursions outside her comfort zone to achieve her happiness. It cannot be destroyed a second time.

However then again with the brunette's luck, Emma had to listen disappointedly to the new piece of information that Robin is to be married. And quite frankly, underneath the snarky, quick-witted comments, the blonde found herself to be highly dismayed. Perhaps she, far too wrapped up in the confidence of her "superpower" did read Robin incorrectly. Not to mention that she does feel a slight remorse for getting Regina all worked up about another possibility of happiness only for it all to end ultimately in disappointment. Life is just a cruel joke sometimes. Or maybe only she is.

So upon deciding to leave Regina to her thoughts, thinking it best she have some alone time, Emma kept to herself most of dinner time. She ate quietly, watched Netflix on her computer, all the while stealing glances at Regina's suite to discreetly check on the brunette who sits quietly picking at her plate and staring into space. Ten minutes and Regina is asleep. Ten more and Emma finds her own eyelids falling heavy as well.

And she doesn't wake until she hears a soft noise in the background, something like a giggle. Frowning, the blonde stirs, slowly stretching from her position in her seat. Shutting her laptop, which had been left on and playing, Emma glances in the direction of the sound. Her eyes are still heavy with sleep that is, until she witnesses the sight before her. It's nothing much. Just Regina and Robin sitting rather comfortably close to one another, whispering. But Robin? Emma shakes her head in disbelief. Surely this doesn't appear to be regular talk, not in the least, not with regards to how they are sitting.

The man sits closest to her, his back turned and facing outward towards the aisle, towards Regina. He is leaning comfortably back against a now upright seat, his arm relaxed behind Regina's waist, hand resting on the opposite armrest of the chair. How in the hell did he end up on the _inside_ of the suite? This little detail in itself clearly says something. Emma lifts a brow.

Robin seems to be leaning in, listening intently at whatever Regina must be saying. And there it is again, a soft giggle. Emma groans inwardly in frustration, as she cannot obtain a proper glimpse at her friend. Robin's back is inconveniently obstructing her vision. She thought it was over. She thought the man is married, or going to be married. Emma curses herself for falling asleep yet again and missing all of this action. She lets the two talk for a few more seconds until she decides to make her presence known and find out exactly what is happening.

"Ahem." Emma clears her throat, gazing critically at the pair who suddenly startle straight out of their skins. The look on their faces almost has the blonde laughing out loud, as both look like accomplices taking turns stealing from the cookie jar.

Regina is the first to speak. "Emma," she greets, nervously tucking a hair behind her ear. "You're up."

"I heard some giggling," Emma states, a wide smirk beginning to form upon her lips.

Regina blushes a deep rouge, glancing quickly at Robin before speaking. "Robin, you remember my friend Emma." The brunette is quick to change the subject.

"Ah," Robin replies with a firm nod, "Pleasure to meet you once again."

"Mm likewise," Emma returns absently as she studies Regina with her eyebrows lifted sky high and her eyes squinted as if trying to read the fine print on a label. The brunette responds, mouthing an exaggerated "what?" to which the blonde's smirk widens.

"So, Robin," she begins, "I saw your book. You're a poet." She spots Regina rolling her eyes, but not for long. "Romantic I'd say." Especially if he was showing them to Regina. If the brunette had a drink, she would have spat it all over Robin's lap. But all Emma does is simply smirk at her best friend's dumbfounded expression.

"Well what can I say?", Robin asks, taking this entire topic lightly, "The poems would be quite drab without."

"Very true," Emma agrees. "You always need that little bit of spice."

Robin nods. "That burst of flavor to the picture."

"A poem's not a poem without the emotion."

"That's what makes it what it is. That's what makes any piece of writing what it is."

Emma smiles, glancing behind Robin's shoulder at Regina who sits there completely befuddled at the situation before her. Her mouth is literally hanging open. It is quite the laughable scene.

"You know Regina used to hate poetry when she was younger," Emma continues, keen on testing exactly where Robin's loyalty lies. She boldly keeps his gaze steady. The man turns and raises his brows at the brunette behind him who appears to be shrinking smaller and smaller by the minute. "Regina told me. She always thought it was something way too idealistic, too melodramatic even for her. Can you believe it?"

* * *

 _"Regina, what gives?", Cora prods as a certain sixteen-year-old stomps into the kitchen. "You are very moody today, not that you aren't always moody, but more than usual. What's going on?"_

 _The sulking Regina rolls her eyes. "I've been forced to enter into a poetry competition," she groans, rolling her chocolate eyes to the heavens._

 _Her mother sighs. "Is this for your English writing class?"_

 _The brunette nods fervently. "God I hate Mr. Booth. He said it would be good for us. Not to mention that this would count as a test grade. And you know how he grades, I told you," she rants, throwing her backpack onto the kitchen counter, "I just don't understand how people like him can be so moved by such idealistic thoughts about a perfect world, nature at its finest, everyone kumbaya-ing happily together and holding hands and skipping past the struggles that disappear just because they are united, skipping past into the unknown future as if everything is fine and dandy, which it isn't. These people, seriously!" She slams her notebooks down onto the marble. "I just don't understand it. This stuff makes everything so much better, so much happier just because of a few fancy words and some cheesy rhyming."_

 _"Regina," Cora marvels, holding up her hand as if to defend herself from the endless stream of angry being shot towards her like bullets. "My are you angry today."_

 _Regina glares at her mother. "I'm so done with this shit."_

 _"Enough of this, Regina. Mind your language," Cora chastises immediately, "Now I want to know what you are going to write after your little speech."_

 _"I don't know!", Regina explodes, "How the hell am I supposed to know if I don't even like it?! I have no motivation for this whatsoever."_

 _"Write something sad and angry. You do realize that they make those kinds of poems too. Something dark. I feel like you'd be excellent at that."_

 _"Yeah sure, either way they are melodramatic."_

 _"Says you, my hormonal teenager!"_

 _"Either way, happy or sad or angry or confused, this stuff…I don't enjoy it. It's either terribly happy or terribly depressing."_

 _"Regina, have you ever even read any poems?", Cora questions, staring at her daughter with a level gaze._

 _Regina scowls. "Of course I have. Enough to say that I don't like it."_

 _"Like what?", her mother pushes._

 _"Um, Dickenson, Poe, Wordsworth, Bronte, Keats."_

 _"All good poets," Cora approves with a nod._

 _"Yes but—"_

 _"But nothing," the Cora interrupts, "You will get your inspiration from them. Or if all else fails, just write a poem about how much you hate writing poems."_

 _Regina rolls her eyes. In her mind, what her mother lacks understanding is that she has nothing positive on which to draw poetry. Her life is a dark hole, dug deeper by the day, by her mother's endless criticism. There is no light, no warmth. Her father is gone. She hardly remembers him. She has no friends, no real family. She has never truly felt any other emotion beyond depression, anger, fear, confusion, and anxiety. Surely Regina could definitely write down all those burdening emotions but then what's the use of that? Writing is supposed to be a form of escape or so she believes. What's it to use writing and reading about something she already knows, already feels? At least in books there is a story, something in which she can truly escape, to another land, another time. But in poetry, it's all built upon feelings, a corny mess of words for which Regina ironically holds no feeling whatsoever._

 _This poetry contest is a hopeless cause._

Regina cringes, grinds her teeth nervously. Such a memory is but poison to be added to this mix between she and Robin. For here she is now, conversing with a man who is none but a poet. She watches nervously as Robin eyes her slightly suspiciously. So many emotions seem to flit so inconspicuously across his face.

"Emma, can you give us a minute?", Regina says, her voice slightly cold against her friend as she tries to rein in her anger towards the blonde. She eyes the man, mortified, as he turns his body away from Emma to face her. "Robin, I'm sorry," Regina whispers, knowing just how much it meant to him believing that she had genuinely and wholeheartedly appreciated what he does.

"So you were much like Marian, my fiancé," the man concludes. The brunette simply shakes her head, ashamed. "If you hated poetry that much, Regina, what changed?", Robin asks, praying to God that this woman had not lied to him.

Regina swallows, shaking her head nervously. "Just…someone I met long ago. He changed my mind."

Robin tilts his head, frowning softly as the brunette's features change as she feels even worse than before at the reference to her past beloved. A small and tender smile appears on his lips however, causing Regina to look at him in confusion. "Well I owe him a debt of gratitude," he remarks with a shake of his head.

Regina's eyes widen. "You aren't mad?"

"Why would I be? It's not like you lied to me," Robin says gently, "That was a long time ago, correct?"

"I know, but you know the thing where people say that people don't really change and that there's always this ghost that lingers. I was just worried that you thought I had put on an act," Regina explains with a sigh.

"No. I know you are genuine, Regina."

"But it's true. Back when I was young, fifteen, sixteen or so, I had little to live for. My outlook has changed a bit, at least for a little while."

Robin frowns slightly. "What do you mean?"

Regina shrugs, breaking their gaze. "Nothing," she sighs, "Just more crap that fate decided to throw at me." She peeks up at him. "But trust me. I'm still very enthusiastic about the work you do. I see it more as an escape now than ever, especially if it's you who's written it. You bring so much life into the words you have written. It's exquisite."

"Why thank you," the man replies, a slight blush creeping to his face.

"Just one question," Regina states, however, "Why is it so important that I be the utmost interested in what you do?"

Robin shrugs. "I'd never want to force you, Regina. But it's nice if you do. You're the first person with whom I feel I'm compatible. I just don't want to let go of that."

* * *

 **Is Robin finally starting to realize/admit something? Stay with me to find out! Don't forget to review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi all! Excuse the bunch of feels coming through! Please enjoy and feel free to comment what you think!**

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Robin gazes at her in awe. The sincerity of the raw emotion held within her eyes is unfathomable, incomparable to any other. It is in this moment that his attention is brought to the sheer intimate delicacy and compassion that this woman possesses underneath a seeming distant, removed personality. The very fact that Regina is so sensitive toward his own feelings touches Robin in a way he hasn't been touched before, not even by Marian. Surely his wife-to-be has had her moments, however never quite like this. Throughout this short time of knowing Regina, Robin has come to realize the gentleness about her that lies hidden, yet so easy to exhume from beneath such a strong exterior only when the right tool is utilized, the tool of feeling and concern.

It's almost an epiphany, Robin has. They are much alike. Perhaps Regina, although she may refuse to admit, is in need of a little empathy, a little consideration and care towards her emotions, just as he wishes for his own work, his passion in poetry. Upon putting the scraps of the puzzle together, the man can only imagine that her mother must have not been adequately sympathetic. And with regards to Emma, well, the blonde seemed to be more of on the tougher side as well. Regina needs feeling towards her, true compassion. Only then would her softer, more tender side show.

Such tenderness must have stemmed from somewhere, that somewhere being most likely innocence. However the very fact that a gentle aspect of a personality such as Regina's is indeed buried indicates said innocence must have somehow been lost. What was it? The question burns like a flame inside his mind. Again Robin is plagued with the same question, more now than ever before. What happened to her? Because if he can find out what happened in her past, perhaps he can play a critical role in mending her future.

"Can we go somewhere private?", Regina is asking, pulling Robin out from the whirlwind that is his thoughts. She is staring back at him, her dark eyes wide with almost a fear, an anxiety. It's as if she can see right through him and read the deepest darkest part of his mind, the part that is suddenly, inevitably, beginning to fall…and fall hard.

Robin nods, allowing Regina to stand and move into the aisle before sliding from the suite himself. "My suite," he suggests, "It's in the corner, by the window, the most secluded." So they head there after a quick goodbye to a befuddled Emma. Robin is definitely certain the brunette may return only to have an earful. However he isn't worried about that right now. What he is worried about is the pounding of his heart knocking within his chest. It flutters like a moth drawn to the light that is the woman waiting patiently as he pulls the seat upright again, allowing her to slide in first.

Initially the air between them is quiet, silent. Robin watches carefully as Regina quietly gazes out the window at the innumerable stars that sprinkle the darkened sky. They flicker about, blinking like those of trillions of fireflies. They are a soothing sight, the kind that when gazed upon, the fears and worries of the struggles and strife of any given situation become meaningless and void. They fade into the background, becoming but trivial pursuits in the entire scheme of things. They make one wonder what truly is important; the dilemmas of which people spend hours awake at night and wasting time trying to solve, or the simplicity of the beauty in the gift of existence? After all, mortality is but a game in the eyes of the stars that have lived far beyond our own understanding of time.

"Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art—", Robin whispers softly. He watches quietly as the brunette turns her gaze from the window, her brown eyes landing upon his blues. She frowns, tilting her head in slight confusion. Robin smiles gently. "Keats," he explains.

Regina smiles softly. "The Romantic poet," she replies with a nod, "I remember I used to read some of his work."

"Back when you hated poetry?", Robin inquires with a gentle smirk. He watches as a soft blush colors the brunette's pale olive cheeks.

She shakes her head fondly. "I'll never live that down, will I?", she laughs softly.

"Perhaps not, milady."

"Why do you insist calling me that?"

Robin shrugs. "I always fancied the term. And that's what you are, are you not?"

"I suppose," Regina says, her eyes sparkling with fascination. She gazes at him with such wonder, it seems, almost as if he's a rare jewel discovered deep within an underground cave after years and years of excursion.

"What is it?", Robin asks softly, feeling his heart stir at nothing but the look she gives.

Regina shrugs, blinking those captivating pools of rich dark chocolate. "Nothing," she responds, "Just…you're the first person I've met who just gets it. You listen, and you understand."

"I think you have that the wrong way around, Regina," Robin replies, tentatively reaching over to lay his hand over hers, which rests upon her lap. He notices the way she twitches her hand at the contact, at the spark of electricity, and the way her breath catches in her throat as a result of such a spark.

"Robin, I…" She shifts her hand from his, turning her head away from him and back towards the window. "This isn't right…"

"What isn't, Regina?", Robin asks softly, ignoring the small slice of pain that strikes through his chest as she refuses him.

Regina turns her head back towards him, giving him a hard stare wrought with incredulity. "Are you really asking me this, Robin?", Regina hisses, "You're engaged. You're going to be married." She shakes her head. "Does that mean nothing to you?"

Robin swallows hard. The brunette is right. He cannot be thinking this way. It is against his code. It puts all that he values at risk; loyalty, fidelity. But as the man looks into her eyes once more he cannot help but see possibly another reason as to why she has refused, a same reason of which she has insinuated the very moment she returned his book.

Something more. That was what that book had symbolized to her. And she just wasn't "ready".

"I know. I have my code." He sighs. "But what about you?", Robin questions cautiously, keeping his gaze level and steady. Her eyes blink at him, large and round.

"I don't want to talk about me," Regina states coolly, turning her head away from him once again. It is silent again as the man watches her stare blankly at the stars for another time. "Why are you here?", she sighs after a few grueling moments of stillness. "What on earth possessed you to show up in my life right now of all time?"

 _"Robin, you will never guess what my sister just landed me for my birthday." Will's voice rings through the receiver, promptly interrupting Robin's peaceful breakfast of tea and crumpets, an old English favorite._

 _"What is it, Will?", Robin asks, sitting up straighter in his chair, taking a long sip of his much needed drink._

 _"After pulling some strings, she managed to get me two tickets to the NFSPS Convention!"_

 _The man's eyes widen. "What? No!"_

 _"Yes, mate!"_

 _"You can't be serious. The National Federation of State Poets Societies Convention? The one held in the States?!"_

 _"The very one!"_

 _"I've been trying for years to attend that. Never was able to make it because of the pieces I was working to publish."_

 _"Yes well then here's your chance! First class seats there and back, mate!"_

 _"Will, that's incredible," Robin breathes, shaking his head still in disbelief. As a small town writer, it was undoubtedly more difficult for him to distribute his work. This doesn't mean that he didn't manage. However the limited audience did give way for the man's desire to look elsewhere and expand his horizons more towards the larger scale._

 _"You can bring your work. I don't think you can enter into a few competitions as we would be considered international but you can still get your name out there, make connections, do all the things you've been talking me ear off about doing for the past year," Will says, "Call it a vacation."_

 _Robin beams into the telephone. "That sounds amazing—" But suddenly the disheartening thought occurs to him, instantly sinking his dreams like a rock. "—I can't."_

 _"What?!", William exclaims almost loud enough to cause his friend to jerk the cellphone away from his ear at the noise. "What do you mean, you can't?!"_

 _"Marian," Robin says with a sigh, "She'll have a fit if I leave now. She wants me here more than ever now that we are beginning to seriously plan the wedding, the Nottingham issue having been resolved."_

 _"But Robin, this is your dream," his best friend protests, "That woman!"_

 _"What do you mean 'that woman'?", Robin snaps._

 _"I've told you time and time again, mate. You don't even realize how much she weighs you down. She's got you under her thumb."_

 _"You make her sound like a villain. Her argument against this would be plausible. The wedding needs planning."_

 _"A wedding, which should have happened five years ago. You're twenty-eight now," Will retorts with a huff. Robin rolls his eyes at the phone in attempts to make himself feel more nonchalant about the entire situation of his engagement. "Seriously, mate, don't think I don't keep score of how many times I hear news of another argument between the two of you."_

 _"Will, despite what you think, we are happy. I've told you that a thousand times."_

 _"Then why did you have to wait so long, hmm?", Will challenges, "Have you ever heard of the thing where marriages die after a certain point if you wait too long?"_

 _"Way to give me encouragement, Will," Robin groans, "Look, Marian and I may have had our disagreements but I love her."_

 _"Sure you do, mate, sure you do," comes the skeptical answer._

 _"Why do you doubt me so much?"_

 _"I don't. And to make sure that I don't doubt you, you will come with me on this trip despite your living under Nazi rule."_

 _"Will!"_

 _"Just come, Robin. If anything it's never a bad idea to get away and enjoy your last moments of true freedom, I mean if you ever even had that to begin with, before you say the big 'I do'. Just think of it as a mini bachelor's party, just you and me."_

"A bachelor's party, eh?", Regina asks, her brows raised, intrigued to say the least. She frowns however as she glances at the vacant suite next to his, however. Her brows rise even further. "A one man bachelor party?"

Robin laughs softly. "He found someone back at the convention in Minnesota. If you know old Will Scarlet, you'll know he's quite the ladies' man."

Regina chuckles softly. "Of course. So he decided to stay with her."

"Exactly," Robin replies. The brunette smirks, shaking her head. "I suppose that's what love does to you."

The smile upon her face almost erases immediately after his comment, eliciting a pang of regret deep within his chest. He shouldn't have said that. Again the question burns. What happened to this woman that made her so sensitive even to a simple statement such as this?

"Yes, I suppose," Regina replies distantly as she glances out the window once more, an apparent safe zone at which to look if and when conversations take a more precarious turn. The brunette shakes her head, turning back to him with a more hardened expression. "I prefer to think of it as a weakness," she states.

Robin's eyebrows knit together. "What do you mean?"

Regina shrugs. "Love is weakness." She shakes her head. "It blinds us. It makes us see only the best in others despite all of the rest. Even when our whole world is crumbling down, love is what makes us see the good. It's blinding. Dangerous. It makes us do things we wouldn't normally do by leading us to think that everything is well, that everything is good. But it's a trap in which we fall, only for that brief illusion of happiness to ultimately be ripped away from us either in a matter of seconds, or after years of what we thought was the best years of our life. I see the latter as far more hurtful. And what we are left with is a hole in our hearts, and a lifetime of sorrow and regret weighing down our soul."

The man listens carefully, shaking his head slowly at the very emotion poured out through this sorrowful lament. What made this woman so broken? His heart aches to take her into his arms, to kiss the pain away, to show her that love is anything but weakness; hope, comfort, solace, a sanctuary. "I disagree, Regina," Robin replies simply. He reaches over, taking her hand once more, this time a little more firmly than the last. "Love is not weakness," he whispers, "It's strength."

Regina gazes back at him, her eyes full of hurt. Robin can see the tears that well up inside them, making them appear glazed and glossy. The soft dim light of the cabin pools, swirling inside her eyes as tears threaten to break loose.

But Regina shakes her head, removing her hand gently from his grasp. "I need to use the restroom," she whispers softly. And so she stands and shifts past him, leaving none in her wake but a flurry of raw and confused emotions, a pounding head, and a yearning heart.

* * *

 **The bathroom, eh? Stay tuned for more!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Another update for you all! Finally the moment we've all been waiting for ;) Please enjoy and tell me what you think!**

* * *

Take the perspective of long-time flight attendant Ruby Red. After serving everyone a seemingly endless stream of coffee or cocktails along with dinner and dessert, the young brunette is finally ready to stand down for the night; everyone's needs having been taken care of at last. Settling back against her seat up towards the front of the cabin, Ruby is more than happy to welcome a few winks of sleep before time should call for breakfast to be served until suddenly she witnesses a strange happening. Well, "strange" might not be the correct word to describe such a spectacle. Perhaps "rare" is the better choice. After all, this isn't to say that this brunette hasn't witnessed a few similar instances during her time as an attendant aboard this prestigious airline. However this might as well be categorized as "strange" in the manner which the implied occurrence is prefaced. Needless to say that such an event whether strange or not does catch Ruby's eye each and every time, having her smirk to herself as she watches from the shadows of her seat like some pubescent virgin teenager.

It begins with Ruby spotting a woman, a dark brunette such as herself hurrying into the women's restroom, appearing visibly distressed. Normally she wouldn't be one to bring herself to care about her passengers' own petty issues, especially those of the rich and affluent. However this time, Ruby can't help but wonder about such an issue that clearly appears evident in this woman's distraught features. But before Ruby can ponder any further, there is another blur of motion from behind. A man with dirty blonde locks catches up with the dark brunette just as she is about to close the restroom door. This sight proves to be the utmost intriguing for Ruby who sits there, still as a statue in the darkness. Normally, that is if everything happens exactly as imagined, such an affair would begin with a fit of soft giggles, wide smirks, batting of eyelashes, and the eager tugging of hands, followed by the swift click of the lock. But this time, the scene before Ruby's eyes is anything but playful, arousing, seductive. Though the swift click of the lock does occur shortly after, the young flight attendant deduces that this woman is upset about something and that who appears to be her lover is running after her to give comfort.

However Ruby then remembers checking in the brunette, and can recall distinctly that the one who had accompanied the brunette was indeed another blonde woman. This raises her suspicions even further. Is there new love on board? Is that, perhaps, why this brunette seems so upset? The man who followed the woman into the restroom seemed quite adamant in doing something. He looked rather determined to fix whatever had happened between the two of them. Will he be able to? After all, if this woman feels as strongly as she obviously does with regards to this man, then surely he must have a significant impact on her whether that impact gives her cause to cry or to smile. Therefore if he does manage to fix this, which he probably will, what will happen then in that spacious bathroom especially when a lounge cushion sits pressed against one of the walls? A small smirk appears upon Ruby's red lips. They'll work it out. This entire bathroom scene will not be a lost cause. She is certain.

* * *

For inside, Regina is staring sadly up at Robin who rushes in behind her, locking the door swiftly. Her breath catches in her throat. A single tear trickles down her cheek.

Robin shakes his head, stepping confidently towards her. "I won't have you cry, Regina," he says firmly as he boldly reaches both his hands up to cup her cheeks, wiping away the tears that begin to fall as the brunette shuts her eyes. "Not alone," he continues, "I will not have you cry alone again."

Regina opens her eyes, forcing herself to look into his. Such sincerity that these crystal blue eyes of his hold is heart-stoppingly overwhelming. How can she say no to eyes like these? Slowly, Regina finds herself nodding as his hands hold her face firmly, adamantly. She swallows the lump in her throat.

Robin steps closer, closing the gap between them even further. Regina watches, her body still as his lips hover closer to hers seeking, asking. Her heartbeat quickens, her breath hitching within her throat. Her mind races at a hundred miles per hour, like an arrow of a compass circling around and around trying to find the direction in which to point…but then finally landing on the man in front of her. It points in the direction of this man called Robin. The man who with but simple words and kind gestures has shown her that she is not alone.

Another breath and his lips are mere centimeters away. Regina gazes down at the bridge of his nose. The tension between them begs to be released. His clipped breaths fall upon her lips, coating them in a moist layer of warmth. Everything inside her screams to resist, to pull back, to not fall into this trap once again. Love is weakness, love is weakness. But yet here she is so close, so close…so close. Until finally…Regina closes her eyes and their lips meet, locking perfectly together like two pieces of a puzzle just made to fit into one another.

Their lips move gently at first as Robin takes his time to shyly explore her until he is the first to deepen the kiss, their lips molding together and moving gently as one. His right hand slowly moves from cradling Regina's cheek and slides towards the base of her head where he clutches firmly, his fingers weaving through ebony locks. His other slides down her back and pulls her towards him, his fingers splaying and reaching out between her shoulder blades.

Regina can't help the soft moans that reverberate against his lips, and the way her body melts into his grasp. Her heart thumps in her ears, the smell of his forest-y cologne invading her nostrils.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she whispers, her voice low and hoarse with apparent arousal. It's undoubtedly sexy. All Robin can respond with is another kiss, his teeth sinking softly into that delectable lower lip. "Your code," Regina persists breathlessly, though unable to resist.

"Not today," Robin murmurs, allowing his lips to travel from hers in a trail of wet kisses down the side of her warm neck, where he experiences another gentle whiff of that apple perfume that dances upon her ivory skin.

The woman is right. He shouldn't be doing this. His conscience begs on bended knee that he stop. But his body betrays.

A moan escapes from his lips as he finds his nose just at the top of the valley between two perfect swells, inhaling her scent to the fullest.

In return Regina arches into him, pushing her breasts forward willingly, having lost all of her sense. Her hands travel down his firm chest, fingers splayed and searching like antennae, feeling the hardness of those chiseled muscles underneath the thin layer of polyester.

"So beautiful," Robin mutters, pressing a kiss between her breasts, as far down as the buttons of her blouse allow. He takes a single step forward, and then another.

And in turn, Regina takes a step backward, and then another, and another until her lower back meets with the edge of the sink counter. She allows herself to be pinned between that and Robin, watching with wide and anxious brown eyes as his fingers slip in front of her body, moving to undo the rest of the buttons on her shirt. One. by. one.

She isn't even aware that she is holding her breath, standing still as she studies his fingers moving delicately over her body. Her garment, as a result, becomes a little bit looser with each and every button that is undone until it hangs loosely open over the lean frame of her body.

It takes everything in Robin's power to not moan upon the sight awarded to him once her shirt falls open. She has a beautiful body. How could anybody deny her the pleasure he wishes to give in full right here, right now? Regina deserves to be loved. Yet even if it's for this one, fleeting moment, Robin is willing to give her all he has.

"Robin," Regina mumbles as his nose brushes between her breasts, the simple caress sending sparks of electricity traveling in currents straight down into her groin. "Please." Her body leans heavily against the edge of the counter as the man meticulously travels his lips down her centerline in a series of open-mouthed kisses, slowly worshipping every bit of skin he touches. Worshipping her. Her breathing is erratic. She cannot stop the desire that blooms within her chest like a flower, and heats in her groin like a flame.

Robin's hands run down the side of her body, feeling each curve she has to offer as he kisses lower and lower until hitting the very top of her pencil skirt. Each bit of contact shoots sparks across her skin, awakening and sensitizing her to his touch. Moving back up her body he captures her lips and claims her mouth as his own in a searing and passionate kiss. His tongue explores her mouth boldly, shamelessly. He is about to pull back when suddenly he feels her respond, her tongue slowly and tentatively pushing forward in a delicate manner that is hesitant, uncertain. Feeling a sense of pride bubbling from inside his chest, Robin urges her on to take the chance to let herself fall completely. And she does.

Their lips begin to move more fearlessly now. Regina responds to each kiss with more and more passion, succumbing a little further and then a little further still. As she does, she feels a hand travel down the side of her body once again, over her hips and down the side of her leg.

Robin keeps his lips upon Regina as best he can as he reaches down, only allowing just a moment for their lips to part so that he can grasp the end of her skirt properly and shift it upwards. His hand wanders along the inside of her inner thigh as he continues to kiss her fervently. Fingers graze her heat through damp panties.

Regina's body responds as she feels his thumb swiping over the thin piece of lace, her lips breaking from his in a soft gasp as she tilts her head back at the short burst of pleasure. "Please," she whispers.

And so Robin obeys. Curling his pointer finger around the thin material, he tugs the lace off her hips, letting it fall and pool at her feet. He brushes a thumb over her clit, earning a sharper gasp from the brunette. He smiles softly at the look of absolute pleasure written upon her features, particularly proud with the knowledge that he is the cause. So he rubs harder.

Regina's body jerks in response, her hips unable to help but buck at the colorful bursts of stimulation that course through her veins, awakening her muscles and nerves. She rolls her hips gently in time with the rhythm that he rubs. Her hands find his hair as she steals another kiss, fingers entwining in his locks. "Robin—ahh!", she whispers against his lips before another gasp splits the two apart as she feels a finger and then another slip inside her. Her eyes roll towards the ceiling as she arches her lower back.

He curls his fingers inside her, pumping hard and fast into her, driving friction against her walls. He searches for that one spot that he knows will make Regina's eyes roll into the back of her head, that one spot that is the key in making her lose all control. And when he finds it, he is rewarded with a louder, more fervent moan and a firm thrust of her hips. Robin smiles triumphantly, working his fingers against said special spot, building her body up and up and up until…

"No!", Regina gasps breathlessly, her hand suddenly shooting downward to grab his and stop his movements. She pulls his hand away, gazing into him, her eyes wide and wild. "Not like this," she whispers.

And what at first was a moment of panic suddenly becomes a moment of realization as Robin catches on to exactly what she means as soon as her eyes connect with the apparent bulge in his pants. He smirks slightly and untangles himself from her for a moment just to undo his belt buckle and trousers, pushing them along with his underwear down thus freeing his half-erect length.

The look that Regina gives when unable to help herself from eyeing his manhood does not go unnoticed. She licks her lips.

Robin smirks widely, shaking his head before claiming those scandalous rouge lips once again, all the while simultaneously pumping himself hard and solid.

A swift movement and Regina feels herself being set upon edge of the bathroom counter. Her hands find his shoulders, steadying herself, readying herself as he slowly slides inside her with a gentle moan. In this moment, her eyes fall closed immediately as pleasure surges upward into her gut. Oh how he stretches her, fills her, completes her. He slid in like a sword to its sheath. Perfect.

"You feel incredible," Robin groans.

"You don't feel so bad yourself," comes the husky reply.

They begin to move, slowly at first. Testing. Feeling. Bodies rock as one, back and forth and back and forth. Regina stares down into those blue eyes, allowing herself to give into the lost world behind such alluring pools of sapphire.

With a gentle nod from her, Robin picks up the pace, building further until skin slaps against skin with that satisfying sound. Heaving breaths and gentle moans and groans fill this quiet, intimate space.

Faster and faster now, and the sensation heightens. The tension in the air heightens. Skin slaps together more forcefully. Bodies begin to climb. Regina feels herself begin to clench, now on her way up that spiral staircase towards the heavens, towards sweet beckoning oblivion. Her eyes fall closed. Her body begins to shudder. Up and up a little further now and she lets out a moan in warning. Robin's name rolls off her tongue like sweet music. The stars begin to move, aligning themselves to document this indescribable moment.

She is so close. Regina clenches even tighter, everything wrenching up inside her like a corkscrew. She is _so_ close. Her breathing escalates. Her heart thumps wildly within her chest. The light at the end grows brighter, more brilliant. Sweet bliss is ready to welcome her into its open arms. She is ready. She is so ready. Her eyes squeeze tighter, her fingers grip harder. Everything shakes inside her begging, pleading, for this release. But then it all halts….

 _"Regina," he says, bending down on one knee before her; the promise ring on display in that little black velvet box. "I want you to have this. I want you to know that you are never alone. I will be with you forever. And this is only just the start. We will take our time. We won't rush this. I don't want to rush this. But I want to give this ring to you as a promise, a promise of the future. I love you. Now, forever, and always."_

….And upon taking that one chance offered to her out of selflessness and love, Regina succumbs.

* * *

 **Many many thanks to the lovely thequeenregina for beta-ing this special chapter for me! Thank you so much for using your exceptional writing talents in making my writing as well as myself as a writer better! If you haven't already, check out her current OQ fanfic, _Love at First Click,_ the best writing I've ever read! **

**Anyway, until the next update! Thank you so much for reading, hope you liked it! Now that the deed has been done, what happens now? What will the repercussions be? Stay tuned for more!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Another update once again! Bit of a longer chapter this time! Please enjoy and tell me what you think! Many thanks!**

* * *

"Robin, this can't happen again," she whispers breathlessly. She shakes her head slowly. "This. Can't. Happen. Again."

Robin heaves a long, drawn out sigh from his nose. Looking down at her, he closes his eyes, bows his head, and presses his nose further into the brunette's neck as if to ignore the words she has just spoken. He inhales deeply.

"No!" Regina states forcefully, abruptly pushing his chest away as she comes to sit. "I said no." Her fingers fly to her open blouse, pulling the fabric back over her bare front and proceeding to button it in haste. "We _can't_ do this again," she declares, teary-eyed.

Robin gathers himself quickly as well, all the while quietly watching as the brunette stands and yanks her pencil skirt back down over her thighs before moving to sloppily tuck in her blouse. "Regina…"

"No. Stop Robin. Just stop," Regina snaps, her head swinging over towards his direction, eyes wide with, almost, horror at what had just happened. "This is not me. I can't do this. You are married—going to be married. I don't sleep with married men. I just…" She snorts, shaking her head incredulously and brushing past Robin.

He shakes his head, swiftly reaching out his hand to catch hers, pulling her back towards him. The brunette stumbles backwards, refusing to look at him. "Regina," Robin says calmly, "Forgive me, but we both know that is not what you're truly worried about."

"Why do you care?!" Regina explodes, gazing at him, eyes flashing a wild red. "Why do you want to have anything to do with me?! Go back to your fiancé, Robin. She may not understand you but at least she loves you. At least she's worthy of you. And me? I have _nothing_ to give you, Robin. Nothing. And if this is what you wanted—", she gestures towards the open space of the bathroom, "—If this is what you've really been playing at with all this 'let me help you' bullshit, well then you've won."

Robin's eyes widen. How dare she think him as one to stoop so low? How dare she think herself to be nothing but a toy to be used and disposed? "Regina, I—"

"No!" Regina interrupts, tears stinging her eyes. She snatches her hand away from him. "I'm done with this, Robin. I'm done with whatever this is. This _has_ to stop." She takes a step backwards from him. "We are wrong to be here, together. This is wrong."

She turns on her heel to leave once again, but Robin remains adamant, lunging towards her and grabbing her hand once again.

"Let go!" Regina hisses, trying to pull his hand from his grasp. But he holds on firmly. "You have no right!"

"Regina, I need you to listen to me," Robin says, blue eyes wide and pleading. "Please. We are not going to go through with this running away again. I'm not going to let you go this time."

"Maybe that's exactly what you should do."

"You and I both know that's just not possible. We can't just pretend none of this happened, after what has happened."

"Yes we can," Regina insists, "What happened was a mistake, Robin. A mistake. You should never have even followed me in here in the first place. I should never have agreed to this."

"Regina, I just want to help you."

"By what? By having sex with me?!"

"Regina, no. That—was an impulse, a—"

"Well then maybe you should learn to control yourself better."

"Regina, please…" His heart constricts.

"I'm simply stating a fact. You say you want to help me. But no, you just want to help yourself _by_ helping me. There's a difference."

"We're talking in circles. Everything I've tried to do for you is genuine and you know that." Robin sighs, running his hand through his hair, visibly distressed. "Just answer me one question, Regina. Just one."

Regina sighs deeply, stepping towards him again, her arms crossed over her bosom. She stares at him blankly, her swollen lips pursed. "What?" she demands.

"Do you, I mean _you_ , the Regina I know and have seen surface from deep down, do you want me to leave? Because if you look me in the eye and tell me to go. I will. If the answer is yes, I'll walk away. And it'll end right here. Right now." Regina shakes her head, snorting at such a melodramatic question. Yet even then there is meaning deep down amongst the hysterics. "I mean it, Regina, do _you_ want to end this?"

She heaves a large sigh, dropping her arms to her side. "I don't know what I want, Robin," she whispers.

"I think you do, Regina," Robin says gently, stepping towards her. He reaches out and rests his hands atop her shoulders, slowly moving them up the sides of her neck, thumbs swiping over smooth, smooth skin. He watches quietly as the brunette's brown eyes fall closed, her head lolling slightly over to one side. He reaches her cheeks, cupping them firmly, thumbs brushing over tear stained skin.

"It's not your responsibility to fix me Robin," Regina murmurs.

"I know," Robin whispers softly, "It's yours." He shakes his head. "But do you want me to help?"

Regina's eyes open once more and she gazes softly at the man staring so intently at her. His big blue eyes plead for acceptance. Once again she is scared, terrified even of the chance held right before her very eyes, dangling so close and practically within her grasp. This chance of happiness. This chance of hope. But there are so many obstacles in the way. She alone can hardly keep count of all of her own issues, never mind those concerning the man opposite her. However deep down, somewhere deep inside her there is this pull, this allure, this want to give this—whatever _this_ is—another try. Deep down, she knows she won't be able to bear seeing him walk away. She swallows hard.

"Perhaps we can help each other," Regina murmurs, taking his wrists softly and bringing them down from her face. She watches as a small smile, almost as if in relief, appears upon his lips. "But what about your fiancé? What about Marian?", she asks softly.

Robin shakes his head, a soft sigh emitting from his lips. "I don't love her anymore," he answers, his heart a piece of lead within his chest. For of course the man still feels for the other brunette. But love? No. That is an emotion long gone. Slowly, after coming to know Regina, he is just beginning to make his peace with it. His conscience, for once, remains still on the matter.

Regina closes her eyes. "You can't leave her for me, Robin," she whispers, "I'm no better. I bring nothing but pain and darkness and complication."

"And passion, Regina," Robin adds. The woman frowns up at him. "You are the most passionate woman I know. You feel things profoundly with your whole soul, your entire being." He shakes his head, gazing at her in awe. "Not many women are like that, you know. Regina, despite what you may think, you are special. You have a gift."

"And what's that?" Regina breathes, her hands reaching up to grasp gently at his biceps.

"You have a heart."

The brunette snorts softly. "Everyone has a heart."

"Not one quite like yours. It's a mystery beyond compare."

"And you are the one to uncover it?"

"I've got a good start."

"Mm," Regina mutters, a faint smile appearing on her lips. "We shall see."

"So is that a yes or a no?" Robin persists in reference to the question he had previously asked.

Her smile widens ever so slightly into a smirk of sorts. Regina shrugs a shoulder. "I shall remain silent in regards to such matters."

So he takes that as a yes.

 _He holds her tightly, wrapping his strong arms around her small, shaking frame. Regina sniffs uncontrollably, her body shuddering with each silent sob. Her tears have made a round wet mark upon his t-shirt. Her eyes remain squeezed tightly closed, her cheeks streaked with tears._

 _Regina has just received the results of her recent SAT, and they were not in her favor at all. She thought she was on top of it. After spending hours and hours, burning the midnight oil countless times having studied and studied until her wits end, Regina was confident that she would succeed. Therefore such scores completely broke her._

 _"Shh, Regina, it's all right," Daniel comforts, rubbing her back soothingly, "You can try again in a few months. That's the good thing about these kinds of tests."_

 _"I know, but it won't meet this year's deadline for college admission into_ _my top choice_ _," Regina sobs. She shakes her head. "I can't believe it. I can't believe how stupid I was. I knew I had gotten a few questions wrong. I should have gone over and double checked the moment I had that gut feeling!"_

 _Daniel sighs, shaking his head. "You did the best that you can. And that's all that matters."_

 _"No I didn't," Regina says, lifting her head to gaze into his soft grey eyes; her eyes all red and puffy. "I should have studied more. I should have taken more care when going over the questions. I didn't manage my time right on the test. I didn't—"_

 _"Regina, stop. No," Daniel interrupts firmly, taking her by the shoulders firmly, "You can't keep on beating yourself up. You are so hard on yourself, Regina. I worry that one day you will completely break yourself down because of it. You need to be still for a moment and give yourself a chance to think positively."_

 _Regina rolls her eyes, snorting softly through her tears. "How can I think positively when Mother is to come home soon demanding the test results?"_

 _"Regina, I'm sorry but your mother is not a good influence on you. She made you like this. She made you think that with every failure, you all of a sudden see yourself as not good enough, not worthy." Daniel shakes his head firmly. "But I want you to look the other way. I want you to see yourself as the beautiful, smart, bright young girl I know. You have a fire within your soul. Give yourself some credit for that. Your passion runs deeply. And that's what will help you succeed."_

 _Regina gazes at him quietly with her large round eyes. She shakes her head slowly. "You are quite the optimist," she says, still slightly unconvinced, yet touched by the words that her lover has spoken._

 _Daniel smiles softly, his hand reaching up, thumb swiping over the apple of her cheek. "I only speak the truth."_

 _Regina sighs softly, not being able to help the small smile that returns to her lips. "What would I do without you?"_

She lies beside him comfortably, her head resting softly over his chest. Her ear is pressed to his beating heart, fingers gently stroking the center of his chest in mindless repetition over and over and over.

It's quiet between the two of them. Stillness pulses throughout the cabin at this time. It must be close to midnight by now with everyone settled in for the night, dreaming either of their welcome or return to England. But not Regina and Robin. In fact they don't want to sleep. For they know all too well that once this flight comes to an end, they may have to go their separate ways. It's a disheartening thought which both strive to forget. After all, right now is what matters the most. Simply being in each other's arms, despite the mess they have made, is undoubtedly a gift to both, whether they realize or not.

"So you never told me why you are a writer—a poet I mean," Regina states curiously.

Robin nods. "My mother was one," he answers, "She inspired me greatly."

"Really?"

"Yes. She had that fire within her as well, that passion." Robin gazes fondly down at the brunette resting upon his chest. "You remind me much of her."

Regina forces a small smile. "You loved her," she says quietly.

"More than anything." He sighs softly. "After my father left us she was all I had, my world." He looks towards Regina, reading her saddened expression with a slight frown. Immediately he wishes to take back what he has said with consideration that Regina has less of an ideal relationship with her own mother. "I'm sorry—", he begins to apologize.

But Regina shakes her head. "No, no," she replies softly, "It's just…you and I are both alike." She smiles slightly. "I lost my father when I was very young too. Cancer. I hardly remember him except the lullabies he used to sing to put me to sleep." She sighs softly. "You're lucky to have that relationship with your mother."

"I'm sorry, Regina," Robin whispers, his hand reaching down to caress her hair softly. "And I understand. My mother died just a few years ago, so I know the pain to lose someone you love."

Regina nods. "I used to follow my dad around everywhere. To me, he was the greatest human in the world. And now that I see it, the greatest curse. His death changed my mother. She became colder, more unfeeling." She shakes her head. "I'm deeply sorry about your mother." Robin shrugs, trying to hold back his emotions. "And your father? Is he still alive?"

"He is. But he left my mother and I when I was only sixteen. I don't miss him, though. He was an awful, awful man."

"Oh…"

"It's okay, Regina," Robin reassures, squeezing her arm tenderly, "It's all in the past. I just find it funny how our parents and family situations are almost opposite."

"Go figure," Regina marvels, nodding her affirmative, "Well they do say that opposites attract." The comment flies past her lips before she can even hold it back. Immediately she freezes, slightly terrified at what her comment could very much imply.

Robin laughs softly, gazing down at her, raising a brow. "Indeed," he responds simply.

Regina snorts and shakes her head, relaxing once more. "Why is it that the best people are taken from us?", she sighs.

Robin shrugs. "I wonder that every single day," he mutters, "You, me, and every other person on the entire planet. It's disheartening to think that not only the best people, the people that we love, are taken from us but those who are also good, who do good. I don't understand why bad things happen and they are taken from us when really they are most needed in our world."

"I suppose that's something we'll never know."

"Perhaps not." Robin sighs.

Regina closes her eyes. "Sometimes I like to just close my eyes and imagine myself as a bird, flying high above all of the carnage, the turmoil, and the bad. I imagine my wings carrying me higher and higher to a sanctuary, an escape, somewhere in the clouds where I'm safe and guarded."

Robin smiles lovingly down at the brunette. This is what he admires so much about her, the softness, the little bit of innocence peeking out from underneath all the rest. She hasn't lost it all. "Hope is a thing with feathers," Robin begins to quote, "That perches within the soul…"

Regina lifts her head, bringing herself to gaze once more into those vast pools of blue that appear navy in the dim light of the cabin. "Dickinson," she breathes, a wider smile spreading her lips, "I used to laugh at that poem. I didn't understand how something as fleeting and intangible as hope could be compared to something as superficial as a bird."

"No, Regina," Robin says, shaking his head endearingly, "What she is trying to say is hope is a bird that sings its sweet song even through the storm. It asks nothing in return but gives, gives, gives with all it has. Hope is the most humbled virtue, as humble and sweet and innocent as a bird. And it is right there, deep within your soul. You may not feel it, but it is there guiding your passion, and keeping your flame alight. You just need to open your heart to it, to the countless possibilities hope may bring, to point you towards safety, towards strength. I want you to recognize it. You more than anyone deserves hope. And I want to help you find it within your heart, mind, and soul."

* * *

 **Continued thank you to my beta, thequeenregina, for looking over this chapter so quickly. Thanks so much, B, for putting the time in amongst your busy schedule of revising!**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things seem to be straightening out a bit now between the couple, eh? Stay tuned to see what is next in store for Regina and Robin! Thanks for stopping by!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome back! I hope you enjoy this update! Don't forget to comment what y'all think! Thanks and happy reading!**

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"I still don't understand what you see in me," Regina whispers, reaching up to brush a strand of Robin's hair from his eyes. She searches deep pools of blue. "I don't feel any of what you are saying to me."

Robin smiles lovingly, his face radiating with profound affection. "That's why I admire you, Regina," he replies gently, "You're humble."

"What? Humble?" Regina snorts, "That's the last thing I am."

"No, that's not correct."

"Believe what you may, but please Robin. What do you see in me? And I mean me with regards to…this." She gestures between the two of them.

Robin shrugs. "A second chance," he answers.

Regina's eyes widen slightly. "Really?"

"Really," Robin says, "You're a chance worth taking."

"But…"

Robin shakes his head. "My friend Will once told me something I will never forget. He said that if you love someone enough to ruin your entire life for. It's worth it."

"And you believe this?"

"I didn't at first," Robin admits, "But now that I've met you…things have changed."

"But what about Marian?"

"Don't worry about her. Quite frankly, I feel as if she is feeling the same way as I do right now."

"You mean she's cheating on you?"

"No, no," Robin states quickly, trying to ignore the guilt that is brought upon by her innocent statement. It slices through his chest like an arrow. For technically that is exactly what he is doing. "No. I meant with regards to her feelings towards me, towards us, having taken a turn. So much has happened between us. So many arguments have happened that they have begun to cloud the moments of happiness. I don't even remember the last time. And I can't live with that, Regina. I can't live like that anymore. Marian and I…we are incompatible."

"And I remember earlier, you mentioned that we are? Compatible, I mean."

"Yes. We are."

"So then, what does that make us? Some kind of soul mates?", Regina asks, not sure herself as to whether that is partly tease or partly truth.

Robin grins. "Perhaps. It could very well be possible."

Regina shakes her head in disbelief. "This is crazy."

"What is?"

"I've known you for how long? Like two seconds? This doesn't make any sense!"

"I know, Regina," Robin sighs, "I know. But have you ever met someone who just feels right? Who's eyes you were just born to gaze into? Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Regina shrugs, sighing softly. "I don't know Robin."

"Well I do. The first day I met Marian, I fell instantly head over heels for her. I was foolishly in love. But with you. It's different. With you, I wasn't swept up in the madness of the act of falling in love with the idea of love. Because that's what it is, an act. Now I understand that. And I know that what I felt when I first saw you was real and true, and with Marian it wasn't anything but a fantasy. I know I may sound crazy."

Regina shakes her head. "No, no you don't," she reassures, "I just wish I was open to such beliefs. I just don't see it." But deep down, there's that stirring, flickering like the flame of a candle. She may feel it in the slightest of ways, but the power that one little flame may store is present and active.

"You don't have to."

"Robin, if all of this is your way of telling me that what we have is love…"

Robin sighs, his heart constricting slightly. Regina is right. This is escalating way too quickly. "I know, Regina," he sighs, cupping her head softly, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I know. If anything, if you could just give this a chance…"

Regina heaves a large sigh, her eyes falling closed. "I'm trying, Robin," she murmurs.

Robin smiles lovingly, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss to the brunette's lips. "I know you are," he whispers, "And I thank you for that."

 _"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!"_

 _The voice rings loud and clear amongst the stillness of the forest. The couple who have been sitting there in peace on that wooden swing by the edge of the river jump apart, their heads snapping towards the familiar but unwelcome sound._

 _"Looks like we aren't going to wait until tomorrow to tell her," Daniel mutters beneath his breath._

 _Regina stands quickly with Daniel and shifts in front of her lover instinctually, as if to protect him from some kind of danger, a danger that perhaps stems from the words of her mother. She clutches his hand tightly. "Mother please, I can explain."_

 _"Explain what?", Cora bites, stepping forward from the shadows of the trees, "How you lied to me? How you've kept a secret from me?"_

 _"You don't understand—", Regina begins._

 _"I understand quite well, Regina," her mother interrupts. "How dare you do this now and put such a hindrance in your life? Everything has been set out for you. Your whole life is ahead of you and here you are stuck in the forest with some…boy whose family I don't even know, let alone deem worthy."_

 _"Please just listen to me," Regina persists, "Daniel is not a hindrance. Look at what he's done for me. I wouldn't be where I am if it wasn't for him. I wouldn't have graduated as valedictorian. I wouldn't have been accepted into one of the top schools in the country! Everything that I am has been because of him."_

 _"And me?", Cora spits, her face set hard into a scowl that betrays her hurt._

 _"Mother…I—", Regina sighs. She closes her eyes for a moment and steels herself, straightening once more to look her mother straight in the eye. "I feel like you are never there for me," she begins again, "You are always working. You never ask me how I feel or how I'm doing. Only for the test scores or grades that I've received. That's all you care about. The numbers. But what about what I do to get there, to get those scores? I've worked my ass off trying to please you. But you don't reciprocate. You don't give me anything, not love…" She trails off._

 _"Regina," her mother states lowly, "Everything I do is to help you. I don't coddle you like some others may because I want you to be strong, to be tough, to fight those who are around the corner just waiting to tear you down. Trust me. I've seen it before. But I won't see it happen to you. You forget what I've taught you, Regina. Love is weakness."_

 _Daniel frowns, stepping forward. "Love is strength," he retorts adamantly, "It conquers even the slightest bit of darkness. It brings hope."_

 _"It's nothing but a distraction," Cora states coldly. She looks back to her daughter. "You have so much on your plate right now, Regina, that you can't be thinking about these extra endeavors. I want you to stay focused. I want you to succeed."_

 _Regina shakes her head. "I can do that though, Mother," she insists, "I can do both. Yes I may mess up on the way but it won't be because of this. For when I do make mistakes, this—" she holds up their linked hands, "—this is what will keep me on the right path. Please, you have to trust me. I know we lost Daddy. And I know that you've hardened your heart by believing that love brings only the bad. But it doesn't. We are proof, right here, that love is good and true. Please try and open your heart to that. Give this a chance. Give us a chance."_

 _It is silent as Cora gazes at her daughter's wide pleading eyes, the sincerity that pours out from the epitome…the love. "You really love him? This…" She glances towards the young man._

 _"Daniel," he introduces, "Daniel Colter."_

 _"Daniel," Cora repeats with a nod._

 _"Yes," Regina breathes, a small smile coming to her lips, "With all my heart."_

 _There is another silence as her mother gazes at the pair, her face still set in a hard scowl. Regina bites her lip nervously, squeezing Daniel's hand tightly. After what feels like hours, her mother sighs deeply and shakes her head._

 _"Very well," Cora mutters. And Regina lets out a breath of relief. She turns towards Daniel, wrapping her arms around him tightly._

 _Gazing back at her mother, she whispers a soft, "Thank you."_

 _Cora simply nods, her face still stern and unfeeling. "Come home now, Regina," she orders quietly, "It's past midnight."_

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened to you, in the past I mean?" Robin asks, earning a deep audible sigh from the woman resting upon his chest.

"In time," Regina murmurs, shaking her head, "In time…"

"Perhaps before this flight is over?" he inquires.

Regina sighs once more. "I told you. In time." Robin shuts his mouth. "Why are you so curious?" she questions.

"Because I am curious to know everything about you, Regina. You intrigue me— fascinate me. I want to know why things are the way they are. And maybe in knowing that, I can help—with the future I mean."

"And what would you do to help my future once you know my past?" Regina asks, rolling her eyes.

"Make sure that the past doesn't repeat itself, and give you what you should have deserved then, now. No matter what the price is."

"Do you even care about what would happen to you?"

Robin shakes his head. "I try not to be selfish in that regard."

"Is that in your code?"

"Perhaps…"

"What is your code?"

"To live truthfully. To follow my heart."

Regina frowns, lifting herself from her position on Robin's chest and gazing into his eyes. Her lips part slightly. "And how do I fit into your code?"

"You are the one to whom my heart follows."

"How overly dramatic you are," the brunette remarks, a smirk forming on her lips.

Robin shrugs. "It's true."

Regina laughs. "Still, you hardly know me."

"Trust me, Regina, I feel as if I've known you for decades."

"I thought you just said you wanted to know everything about me, implying that you don't know me."

"I know. By saying I've known you for decades doesn't mean that I know everything about you. So, care to enlighten me?"

"I said 'in time', Robin. Please!"

"Okay, okay."

Regina's smirk widens. "I'm starting to realize that sometimes you are a pain in the ass."

"Sometimes?" Robin clarifies with a lift of a brow to which Regina rolls her eyes, smacking his chest with the back of her hand.

"Will you stop it?", Regina laughs.

Robin stops and stares at the brunette as if she has just won a medal of honor. "Wow," he breathes, his smile widening.

"What?" Regina demands.

"You laughed."

"So?"

"You actually laughed."

Regina huffs, rolling her eyes to the heavens. "Yes, Robin, I know how to laugh. I am quite capable of laughing…" Robin laughs. "Stop laughing at me, you idiot!", Regina scolds, laughing once more. She slaps his chest again.

Robin gazes at her, his eyes sparkling in the darkness. "You're just so cheeky," he says, smiling fondly at her.

"Yes well, so are you," Regina huffs before glancing outside at the starry-lit sky. "We should get some kind of sleep," she adds, "It must be past midnight by now. And we are both obviously overtired."

"True," Robin approves, "I'm surprised we haven't woken the entire plane up with our antics."

"Mm me too," Regina agrees, laying her head back down against him and burrowing her nose into his chest. She snuggles her body close to him, closing any possible gap between the two. "Goodnight, Robin," she murmurs, placing a gentle kiss to the center of his chest.

Her kiss spreads warmth throughout Robin's body, blooming out like ripples in a pond from where she had placed her lips. He smiles warmly, lifting his head to kiss the top of her head. He runs his hand through her silky locks one last time before dropping his head and closing his eyes.

"Goodnight, Regina."

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 **As you can see, I've stolen a couple lines from our beloved original Once Upon a Time. All credit to them of course! Wouldn't be writing without them!**

 **Thanks so much for stopping by again, I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for more to come!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello! Back again with a short filler chapter! Please enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment! All reviews have been greatly appreciated, thank you all so much!**

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 _She had attended to a concert once. It featured Sheryl Crow, an all-time favorite of both her and Daniel. The two would spend countless afternoons bonding together over the singer's songs. "Soak Up the Sun", for example, was an absolute favorite._

 _So when the rare opportunity of Sheryl Crow coming to perform live at Gillette Stadium (located close to where she and Daniel lived, in Foxborough, Massachusetts) arose, Regina was overjoyed. She begged her mother every single day for permission to go, but it was to no avail. Cora, being Cora, didn't allow it, for fear that such a trip would cause too much of a distraction from her daughter's studies._

 _But Daniel however, being the kind and sympathetic man he was, had bought Regina two tickets and presented them to her in secret, telling her that he would drive the both of them himself in his father's old pickup truck for the night. Regina was beyond delighted and touched that he would do such a thing. In addition, she was especially excited about the prospect of having a real date with her beloved outside of town._

 _So when the night came, the two of them stole away from Regina's house the moment her mother was asleep. They arrived just in time, seated at the perfect spot in the stadium. The brunette was simply over the moon with happiness. She clung onto Daniel and sung the words to every single song whilst bobbing her body up and down to the beat._

" _Did you know when you go_

 _It's the perfect ending_

 _To the bad day I'd gotten used to spending_

 _When you go all I know is_

 _You're my favorite mistake…"_

 _Such were the lyrics of another favorite. And that's what they were at that time. They were just simple lyrics like any other song speaking of a lost lover. But little did Regina know that they would become much, much more. They would become the reality._

The cabin lights flicker back on and Regina is jolted awake by a flood of light that invades the darkness of her closed lids. Groaning, she peeks one eye open and then the other, wincing at how bright it is. Too bright. At first she is slightly disoriented until the man underneath her begins to shift, groaning his own way out of sleep and coming to at a leisurely pace. He lifts his arms, about to stretch upward but accidentally smacks Regina in the process.

"Watch it with those burly arms of yours," Regina scolds, swatting his arms from her face.

"Well, good morning to you, too," Robin says with a yawn, continuing to stretch. He props himself up on his elbows and glances out the window. Outside, the sky has begun to take on a pinkish color, the stars having faded into the background. The clouds below take on the same color as the sky, pink and fluffy like cotton candy. "Beautiful isn't it?", Robin comments.

"Mm," Regina mutters, rubbing at her eyes and smoothing her hair. "It's called a sunrise."

Robin rolls his eyes, smirking at the tired brunette. "Sounds like someone needs some coffee."

"I don't drink coffee," Regina argues for the sake of arguing. "Not regularly."

"So when what would you prefer, milady?"

"Tea. And will you stop calling me that?"

Robin laughs, shaking his head amusingly. "You aren't a morning person, are you?"

Regina rolls her eyes. "Another secret you had yet to uncover about me. Congratulations, Mr. Locksley."

"Mm, thank you. And as much as I'm enjoying this morning banter, the attendants are coming around with breakfast. Perhaps you should make your way back to your seat."

"Are you kicking me out?"

"No, it's just so that they don't confuse the orders."

Regina nods incredulously. "Yeah, sure."

"Unless you'd like to stay."

"I don't know. I'd probably best be going," Regina says, thinking of Emma, "I still have someone to talk to."

"By that someone, do you mean Emma?"

Regina nods. "I'm still mildly pissed that she brought that detail of my past up."

"I don't mind. Like I said, it's nice to know every little detail about you. That is, if it doesn't sound too creepy."

"Robin," Regina sighs, "We fucked in the bathroom on an aircraft, en route to England. Nothing gets weirder than that."

"There are worse stories," Robin reassures, "Believe me."

Regina shakes her head. "Regardless, it has been weird for me. A true first."

"Honestly, I second that."

The brunette smirks slightly. "I still have no clue as to what we are doing here."

"I still have no clue as to what _you_ are doing here," Robin says as a matter-of-factly. "You've never even told me why you are on this flight to begin with."

"Indeed I haven't," Regina sighs, her features suddenly dropping. The moment she breaks her gaze from Robin, is the moment the man knows immediately that this is a sign of something not at all favorable. He knows now, very well, that her break of eye contact is a preface for something somber and distressing to surface.

"Does this trip concern the big secret about your past you seem to be hiding?", Robin asks gently.

Regina shakes her head once again, shrugging. "It's not that it's a secret. It's just that it hurts to talk about."

She knows that she will never get this man off her back until she reveals everything. She's unwilling to do so, yet deep down inside, she knows that there is this desire present that burns with the need to get this vital information off her chest. And she knows that he knows about said desire as well. Perhaps that is why he is pushing so relentlessly. Perhaps he is the one who wants to lift the burden of the past. Isn't that what he has been getting at when he said he wished to not repeat the past? But for now, she will settle with the simplest explanation she can muster. After all, it is far too early in the morning for courage.

"I'm simply going on a vacation," Regina offers with a nonchalant shrug.

But the man reads right into her, noticing the way the brunette still doesn't meet his gaze.

"I don't think so," Robin states gently. She narrows her eyes at him, eyebrows furrowing closely together. "I don't think that's the whole story."

Regina turns her head away stubbornly. "That's all I'm going to tell you for now," she states firmly.

"All right," Robin sighs, "For now."

A blonde attendant arrives beside the suite before any further conversation can erupt. She places a tray containing two thick, fluffy Belgian waffles and strawberries, a few slices of bacon, and a bagel with salmon pâté spread.

"Are you with him, ma'am?" the blonde asks, politely addressing Regina.

The brunette shakes her head. "No," she answers, "I'll be returning to my seat shortly in the second aisle." The blonde nods and heads off in the direction from whence she came.

"I think that's my cue to go," Regina sighs, straightening her wrinkled blouse and patting down her hair.

"I think so too," Robin replies somewhat solemnly. He tries to shrug it away. "It's okay," he adds, "I have a new collection of poems that I should work on anyway."

"Really?", Regina asks, raising a brow, genuinely intrigued. The man nods, smirking slightly. "How many poems are going to be in it?"

"I'm shooting for a collection of thirty. That's my go-to number at the moment."

"How many do you have so far?", Regina inquires with a tilt of her head.

"Twenty-eight," Robin answers, grinning at her, "I'm close."

"Wonderful. What are the last two going to be about?"

The man shrugs. "I don't know. I have yet to figure that out. I'm a little stuck at the moment."

A smirk appears on Regina's lips suddenly. It's mischievous, seductive, and furtive all at once…very alluring. She shrugs a shoulder. "Well," she states rather boldly, "You could always write one about me."

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 **Ideas on what you think happened to Regina? Predictions? Feel free to leave them in the comments! Thank you so much for stopping by, a continued thank you to my beta thequeenregina for beta-ing this so quickly as always! Stay tuned for more coming shortly!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey all! So sorry about the longer delay! Things have become very busy in this lovely realm of college, but I'm slowly working things out. Please enjoy this update! More Regina and Emma action for those who love a nice Swanqueen friendship ;) Happy reading, and please don't forget to leave a comment! I thank you for your support as always!**

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No matter how foolish she may look, she can't help but journey back to her seat with a grin spread wide across her features. It causes Emma, who had been quite happily enjoying her waffles, to put down her fork, look up, and witness such a rare spectacle. All anger towards the blonde from earlier has dissipated as all thoughts, once again, have inevitably turned towards Robin and the night that the brunette still cannot believe had happened.

"Regina," Emma remarks, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you look smitten." The blonde is staring at her best friend, an all-knowing smirk wide across her lips.

Regina turns to her, tilting her head to the side. "What?" she asks.

"You look…different," Emma comments with a shrug. "You were gone for the entire night."

"Yes, yes. I am aware," Regina huffs, rolling her eyes. She moves to begin tucking into her plate of breakfast, in meager attempts to avoid the subject.

"Regina…," her friend warns, "I know that look. And I _know_ you."

The brunette turns to Emma, blinking as innocently at her as she can. "So?"

"Oh come on, Regina!" Emma groans, hazel eyes wide with intrigue, "That's exactly the same look you had on your face when you were with Daniel."

Regina lifts a brow, pushing her first piece of waffle past her lips. "Really?" she asks while chewing.

"Yes! Regina, don't you even feel it?!"

Regina shrugs. "Yes, of course I do—I mean—," she sighs, "—nothing."

"No, it's not nothing, Regina," Emma states, "It's never nothing when it comes to you. What happened when you were gone?"

"Nothing, really," Regina persists, looking away, "Just nothing."

Emma squints at the brunette, leaning closer and scrutinizing her. "No. Something happened," she accuses. Regina shrugs again. "Regina," Emma demands forcefully, causing the brunette to jump and finally gaze in the blonde's direction. "You hooked up with him, didn't you?"

Regina takes her lower lip between her teeth, sucking nervously. "Maybe?" she shrugs, "How could you guess that?"

Emma stares at her in disbelief. "Regina. You really don't think I know that just-fucked look? God I can even tell just by looking at your hair."

Regina's eyes widen. A hand shoots up to try and tame tangled locks. "My hair is fine."

But the blonde's lips break into a wide smirk. "Someone had some cuddly time," she sings, jabbing her friend in the arm with her elbow.

"Stop that!"

"Just say you hooked up with him."

Regina rolls her eyes. "Okay, okay. Fine. I did."

Immediately, the blonde's eyes light up. "I can't believe it," she breathes, "You just joined the mile-high club! With _Robin_ no less! Who knew?!" But Regina breaks her friend's gaze and hangs her head. "Oh come on, Regina," Emma says, "This is not something you need to be ashamed of."

The brunette sighs, placing her fork down. "Emma, I—he's…," she swallows hard, "He has a fiancé. He's cheating on her. With _me_ of all people!"

"I know, Regina," Emma acknowledges, "But think about it. Something tells me that this is just more than a one night stand." Regina hopelessly shrugs.

"If anything, it just proves that my trick worked. He _does_ want you. Even though he has a fiancé, he wants _you_."

Regina's brows knit together in confusion. "Your trick?", she asks, "What are you—" But suddenly, the realization dawns. "Wait, you embarrassing me by bringing up that detail of my past in front of Robin was all a test?"

"Yep!", Emma states, smirking proudly, "You know they say that opposites attract, but I feel like you have to have something that will connect the two of you. If he gave you the book to read, he must have been thrilled that you were interested or else he wouldn't have even bothered. I knew he had a thing for you, especially with this whole fiasco concerning the darned thing."

Regina rolls her eyes. "You are just way too intuitive sometimes," she remarks sarcastically.

"Stop it," Emma groans, returning her best friend's impudent expression with a roll of her own eyes. "Anyway, I simply put two and two together, figuring that your joint interests in his poetry is what brought you two together. But, since he is so drawn to you, he must have been drifting away from his fiancé for some reason. I was willing to bet my money that it was because she doesn't appreciate poetry as much as you do. Because, like I said, that is what brought you two together."

"Such a risk you took believing that was the only reason," Regina comments, "Especially when there could have been about a billion of other reasons."

"I know, Regina, but sometimes you just have to take a chance. I was certain. You know, this gut feeling."

Regina groans. "Yes, yes I know—your superpower."

"Exactly." Emma winks. "That's why I told him that small detail about your past. If he truly wasn't into you, he would have second-guessed. But clearly he didn't, meaning that, that little detail even though so large in his other relationship, didn't matter when it came to you. What he had with his fiancé wasn't true. But with you, well…"

"Wow," Regina marvels, shaking her head with a soft chuckle, "Clever, aren't you? I commend you on your clairvoyance."

"Why thank you," Emma quips, "My intuition shall now forevermore be declared spot on. Not to mention that it's my time to say I told you so."

Regina rolls her eyes. "Okay you may have been right in, well—a lot of things regarding Robin and I—but really, enjoy this one time only. You're not a matchmaker or an oracle, or anything."

"Oh, you are impressed that I figured this out. Don't deny it."

Regina smirks slightly. "I shall say no more on this matter, thank you." There is a stretch of silence, however, before she sighs and shakes her head. "But you make this sound like such a victory story. However like I said, what Robin is ultimately doing is that he's cheating on the woman he's supposed to marry. I hardly think that's cause for celebration."

"I know, Regina," Emma sighs, "I know. But do you genuinely think that he should go back to his fiancé?"

"I imagine she's not a very nice woman," Regina admits. "She's not kind to him."

Emma shrugs. "Well, then, there's your answer."

 _"So how are things with you and Daniel?" Emma asks, leaning backward into her seat. She lifts her cup of coffee to her lips, taking a generous sip. "Excited for the big day?"_

 _Regina shrugs. "Yes, of course I am," she answers rather unconvincingly. The truth is that the brunette is indeed head over heels with excitement at the prospect of finally being able to marry her one true love. It has been, what? Six and a half years since their promise engagement? And three years since their proper engagement?_

 _"Of course you are, but…," Emma prompts, gesturing with her free hand for her friend to continue._

 _Regina shakes her head. "I don't know," she sighs, "Daniel has been acting strange lately."_

 _Emma frowns. "Strange as in what?"_

 _"Strange as in his temper being short with me."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"Really," Regina affirms, "I mean, he always apologizes and makes up for it in, you know, the best way a man could possibly make up for fight with the one he loves. I just—I just worry about him sometimes."_

 _"Do you think he's changing?"_

 _Regina's eyes widen slightly. "Oh no, that's not it at all. Surely things have been tough for the both of us. He's at veterinary school and I'm just finishing up law school and starting my own firm. Times are busy."_

 _Emma nods. "Very true. It's a crazy time for the both of you. Your lives are changing drastically. I'm not surprised if either of you are a bit on edge."_

 _Regina nods in agreement. "I know," she sighs before shaking her head once more. "You know me. I just overthink things. That's all."_

 _"Don't I know it," Emma laughs gently before turning back to her open Macbook on the table. "So look," she says, scooting closer to Regina. "As your trusty Maid of Honor, I've already picked out a few selections for the bridesmaids' gowns." Regina's eyes widen as she hums in approval, straightening herself. "Take your pick." Emma angles the computer so that Regina is able to view from where she sits._

 _"Umm…" Regina squints at the screen, scrutinizing over the couture._

 _"I really like this one," Emma suggests, placing a finger on the computer screen, "I like the sky blue, the knee-length chiffon. The beading on this bodice is really cool. It's noticeable but still subtle. I like it because overall it's a simple style. After all, the bridesmaids can never outshine the bride." She smirks at Regina._

 _Regina laughs softly, shaking her head fondly. "You're just saying that because you aren't the one to wear big beautiful dresses."_

 _"Well what can I say?" Emma responds with a mischievous glint in her eye, "After all, it has to be something that I'm also comfortable wearing, no?"_

 _"Oh, so this is all about your comfort now?" Regina teases, "Is that what this has turned into?"_

 _Emma laughs aloud. "No, no. Seriously Regina, though. I don't want to upstage you."_

 _"Oh don't even bother about you upstaging me with the dress and all that ridiculousness. That's foolishness. Don't worry yourself about that."_

 _"Oh but we have to. After all, it's the wedding of your dreams. You are the star," Emma says with a grin. She places a firm and reassuring hand upon the brunette's shoulder, shaking it enthusiastically. "I want this to be perfect," she whispers excitably in her best friend's ear._

 _"Oh with you it will be, without a doubt, perfect," Regina assures with a grin of her own. "How could I ever thank you?"_

 _Emma shakes her head. "Oh you won't need to. Let's just focus on getting you to the point where you finally get to walk down that aisle." She turns back to the Macbook. "Now about the shoes…"_

She can't help but keep from glancing back towards the rear of the cabin, towards a certain dirty blonde whose head is hunched over a Macbook. A fond smile involuntarily graces her lips.

"Oh, Regina," Emma's voice drawls somewhere in the background, "You've got it real bad, don't you?"

Regina sighs like a lovesick teenager. "When he told me that he had difficulty with trying to decide a topic for another one of his poems, I had suggested that he write a poem about me."

This immediately calls Emma's attention. Instantly, the blonde's eyebrows shoot up into her hairline. "Really? Seriously? Bold aren't you, Regina?" she marvels.

Regina shrugs a shoulder, smirking slightly before glancing back at the man all bent over in concentration. "I reckon that's what he's doing."

Emma turns, craning her neck to get a glimpse of said man. She grins. "Oh he better. And I want to read it when he's done. God, Regina. That's just so romantic!"

Regina rolls her eyes. "Yes, it's nice I suppose."

"Oh stop being so modest," Emma says, shaking her head, "You really like this guy too. I would go far enough to say that you _love_ him."

Her friend's eyes widen. "Emma no," she says, "That's ridiculous. I just met him like what? Five hours ago?"

Emma shrugs. "I just highly doubt that any of this—," she waves her hand around, "—rendezvousing—means nothing. Don't you think? You're definitely not the kind of person who just sleeps around for fun. And I know that in everything that you do willingly, you are deeply emotionally invested. So try and argue with me that this is just 'ridiculous'." The blonde crosses her arms.

Regina sighs, shaking her head. Who can argue with Emma anyway? As much as the brunette wishes not to admit, the blonde has a point, a very valid point. It may be hard to fathom given this rather short and untimely circumstance, however Robin does mean much more to her than she dares to let on. In a way he has been her savior, her comfort, her sanctuary. As much as it is hard to admit, he was the one to pull her from the darkness, into which she had previously found herself slowly sliding towards once again. He was the one to truly hold her in his arms and provide comfort on an intimate level that she hadn't been exposed to in a long, long time. His sincerity, the honesty behind his words of kindness and solace touched the very depths of her aching heart, her broken heart.

With Robin, Regina had simply felt whole once again. And she will forever be indebted to him because of what he did, because of what he has managed to do within the short duration of this plane ride.

* * *

 **Is Regina finally able to get to the bottom of her emotions and admit how she truly feels about Robin? Stay tuned for more! Thanks for coming by!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello! Happy February! Quite an exciting month ahead *cough* _Fifty Shades Darker_ *cough*! Anyway, here's to a bit of a longer chapter for you all. Since we are already, quite extensively, aware of Regina's whole outlook on this current angsty situation concerning her and Robin, I will show you more of Robin's take. This is a little bit of how he is dealing with his own emotions. More flashbacks of course, since we haven't had any of his in a while, to complete the picture as well! Please enjoy and don't forget to review! Thanks so much for your support as always!**

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He sits still, back bent over the table, gazing intently at the computer screen that remains blank in front of him. He has taken her suggestion to heart and is now ready to put it down on paper, so to speak. The only problem is that he doesn't have a clue of where to begin.

It's not because Robin cannot come up with anything to write about Regina. It's because he has far too much that he wants to write. Where could he possibly start? How could he possibly sum up someone so enigmatic, so layered, so perfectly complicated, and so heart-stoppingly beautiful as the brunette whose lips he had the pleasure to savor, in one single little poem? There's so much Robin wishes to write, to say, to tell her, on the page that it's overwhelming.

He thinks back to the first time they had kissed and the way her soft lips touched his, a soothing balm to his yearning skin. Such angst was poured into that kiss. But it was still so, so perfect. It would be something he will never, ever forget. And all it took was that single moment for Robin to realize that he had fallen captivated within her grasp. Despite his goal of being the rock, the sturdy frame on which Regina may lean, it was he who became quickly at her mercy. Awakened to the emotion of love, buried long ago underneath the accumulated avalanches of arguments with his fiancé, Robin had let himself succumb to that kiss and to the very promise that kiss held. The promise of hope, hope that perhaps this is the woman to fill the void of loneliness that had grown as a result of those years of a stale and fruitless engagement.

It's all quite foolish, however. Regina is right. How could a man fall so deeply for a woman whom he'd just met but a few hours ago? Such a situation resembles much like a fairytale, a corny fantasy that ends in a so-called happily ever after. Yet, Robin can't imagine anything else but a nice ending with Regina where everything works out perfectly. But he must be realistic and curb such thoughts. After all, Regina wasn't so explicit. Surely it is already in her demeanor to hold back from speaking what's in her mind and heart. However, she did say that she is trying, that she is willing to give them a chance at being together, a chance at happiness. That ignites a small spark of hope within Robin's heart. Perhaps it will work.

But then comes the issue of Marian. He knows that what they had is long gone. That already has been established. But that doesn't mean that he won't have to come crawling back to her, confessing his sin. He will. And most likely, hell will break loose should Robin swallow his pride and admit that he'd broken a vital piece of his own moral code, never mind their promise of becoming man and woman.

How will Marian react? What would she say? What would she do? Robin cringes to think about the heated and hurtful discussion that they will inevitably have to have.

 _"You're leaving?!" Marian yells._

 _"It's only for a week," Robin defends calmly, "Honestly, Marian, I don't understand what the big fuss is." He steps towards the woman whose anger is beginning to boil. He watches nervously as she paces the room._

 _"Robin," Marian breathes incredulously, "Do you even realize the resulting ramifications should you decide to all of a sudden pack up and take off, during this crucial time, no less? Robin, this is the most important moment of our lives and you decide to just go?!"_

 _"Marian, you make it sound like I'm leaving you for good," Robin says with a frown. "The wedding isn't for another month or so. We already have the major parts planned out. I don't see the harm in going to this one poetry convention with Will. This can be a unique opportunity to expand my audience, get myself out there. If nothing else, it's simply a sort of pre-wedding celebration," he reasons._

 _Marian huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she makes her way back towards Robin. "Yes, sure. That's bullshit, Robin," she sneers, eyes flashing red, "You've had plenty of time to go off gallivanting on this so-called 'pre-wedding celebration' or business crap. Why now, hm? Why are you leaving me now?"_

 _"Marian, please," Robin says, "I don't understand why you're taking this so personally."_

 _"Why shouldn't I?" the brunette challenges, "This is our big day that's coming up, Robin." She steps closer to him. "We need to prepare for this. Together. But no, you have to leave. Why? To get back at me for all the time I've spent at the office, for all the times you've cried like a baby about how late I've come home?"_

 _Robin sighs, shaking his head. "Marian, you know very well that is not the reason. But what is true is that we aren't ever together anymore," he states, "You're always at work. You come home late constantly. I feel like I hardly see you."_

 _"That's because I'm stuck at the fucking office all day, working my ass off to pay the bills because you just can't seem to get your shit together!" Marian explodes. "I mean seriously, Robin. Your work hasn't been picked up at all. You say it's a talent, a passion, but what is a talent or passion if no one even pays attention to it? It means absolutely nothing if you can't get anything worthwhile from it."_

 _"How can you assume something like that, Marian?" Robin asks through gritted teeth. His face begins to heat as his fiancé begins to strike down his pride, his passion. He always knew that there has been more to those restrained rants about his work, that underlying tidal wave just ready to surge forth. The barriers are about to burst._

 _"Just look at the math, Robin," Marian bites, "Look at the math. There are so many other successful writers out there beating on your back, stealing your profit, each and every day. Take it from me. Unlike you, I know business. I've told you before, and I will tell you again. Wake up, Robin and get your fucking head out of the clouds. This is not a game, not some fucking fairytale. It's reality." Her lip curls in anger. "So you feel like you hardly see me? Well, I hardly see you because you're all cooped up in that office of yours all day writing God knows what, for what? An empty dream."_

 _She wraps her arms around herself and turns, stepping towards the window and looking out at the rain falling heavy over the backyard patio._

 _Robin swallows hard. God, he doesn't even remember the last time she was this angry with him. It makes his heart sigh with guilt. Part of him tells him what he has always believed, to follow his heart. But the other part can't help but agree with Marian. What if this is all just an empty pursuit? What this all ends up being nothing, as his fiancé believes, and Robin has ultimately ended up wasting nearly half his life over something that will never come to pass?_

 _"Marian," he says lowly, shaking his head. "I don't know what to say to that. I'm trying. I'm trying to be the best I can for you. And I'm sorry if I can't be more than I am right now. You don't think it doesn't pain me to think that my income won't support the both of us, that I can't support you? But I have to follow my heart. Or else, what kind of life will I be living?" He stares idly at the center of her back._

 _The brunette shrugs. "What kind of life will you be living if you follow your heart into an endless void filled with the lies you keep telling yourself?" She sighs deeply. "I worry about you, Robin. I really do. I worry that you've become distant, swept up in the fantasy of what you write. To you, it may be an escape. But to me, it's nothing but a prison. It's like you're here. But you're not." She shakes her head, turning around slowly to meet him straight in his eyes with a watery gaze. "But I need you to be here. When you proposed to me, you promised me that you would always be here for me." She shakes her head once more, teeth gritted together. "So don't leave me. I need you. And you need me."_

Robin shakes his head. Oh how his heart feels as if it has been ripped open once more at the remembrance of that night. But he mustn't go there. Stay focused on the task at hand. None of that matters right now in this moment. What matters is the woman who has suddenly so serendipitously stepped into his life without warning. What matters is that Regina knows exactly of the way he feels about her, via the work through which he can only truly and fully express himself. It is a way through which she, unlike Marian, will understand, appreciate, and respect.

Robin sighs, places his fingers back onto the keyboard, and begins to type. He intends on holding nothing back. He's tired of beating around the bush. He will tell her his feelings for her straightforward. After all, the greatest misfortune is to say nothing and do nothing, for fear of risking it all. Time is fleeting. So he types fervently.

He is so deeply immersed into his writing, sculpting, and fashioning the perfect piece for an even more perfect woman that he hardly notices the feeling of eyes looking upon his form. Robin gazes upward for but a moment to witness said beautiful woman staring back at him from the center aisle, her large brown eyes calling to him. He smiles gently at her, which she returns immediately, much to his delight. His heart swells for the woman. And it is with a small nod that Robin turns back to his computer screen. This poem must be flawless.

 _"Oh, Robin," Marian whispers, her eyes widening in delight as she takes in the romantic setting of their evening dinner; a private dockside table underneath the light of the moon and stars, beside the sparkling River Thames. "It's absolutely beautiful," she gushes, walking towards one end of the table and taking a seat as the maître d' pulls out the seat._

 _Robin smiles, a somewhat shy and reserved smile of both relief that she loves the atmosphere and nervousness of what's to come. "It's all for you, love," he says, gesturing towards the rippling river that shimmers under the soft rays of the moon. "You really like it?"_

 _"Like it?" Marian repeats breathily, shaking her head, "Robin, I love it! This is incredible. How did you know I've always wanted to come here?"_

 _"You told me once."_

 _"Really?" Marian laughs gaily, "I don't remember at all." She shrugs, a smirk playing on her lips. "Well I commend you for remembering such a trivial detail."_

 _Robin returns her smirk. "I remember everything about you, my love, especially when it comes to your pleasure and enjoyment. I only want the best."_

 _Marian beams at him. "Well you've really outdone yourself this time," she marvels. Robin grins proudly, taking and squeezing her hand from across the table._

 _The brunette laughs happily. She picks up the menu, instantly marveling at the delicacies laid out in intricate lettering upon the paper. From across the table, Robin watches her carefully as her eyebrows furrow in concentration. He smiles secretly, reaching down to pat at his pant pocket. His heart beats double time. And it is not even time yet._

 _The meal is exquisite. The two find themselves pleasantly full after dining on the finest, fresh greens, meats, and pastas. Cheerful and carefree chatter fill the air around them as they take the time to simply appreciate each other's company amidst the chaos of the reality of life. Here, everything just seems to stop. And right now is a perfect moment, a perfect time, to carpe diem._

 _His heart flutters inside his chest as he clears his throat, his eyes connecting with those of his beloved. "Marian," Robin begins._

 _The woman places her spoon down after her last bite of crème brûlée and gazes at him with a curious expression. "Yes, Robin?" she asks softly._

 _Robin clears his throat once more and leans to reach over the table and grasp her hand once more, holding it firmly. With one swift movement, he is by her side, kneeling on one knee. "Marian," he begins once more, "Ever since the moment I first saw you, I instantly knew you were the one. You have brought light to my life in ways that I haven't even known possible. And I love you more than I could possibly explain with words. I cannot imagine my life without you by my side. And I don't even ever wish to do so. So, Marian, my love, will you marry me?"_

 _Tears of joy shine in the eyes of the brunette as fingers lift to cover her lips. Robin watches as the lump in her throat bobs up and down as she swallows. He watches with his heart in his mouth as she struggles to find the words amongst a sea of overwhelming emotions. She nods first before managing a small, "Yes."_

 _"Yes," she repeats. And Robin's smile widens. "Yes, yes, yes!"_

The poem is finally finished. And it is one of which he can truly say that he is proud. Robin shuts the computer, smiling to himself like a madman. Oh how he hopes with all his heart that Regina may receive this poem well. How he hopes that she will be touched by the words that had flown so effortlessly from his heart and soul, onto the screen. All he has to do is stand up, cross the aisle, and show her.

But what if this goes terribly wrong? What if Regina dislikes such a poem for fear that it is too touchy, too sensitive? Robin swallows hard, opening his computer once again and rereading the document over for the umpteenth time. He bites his lip hard in concentration as he scours and scrutinizes his own words, trying as best he can to imagine her reaction to each line he had written.

His brows furrow, creating a deep "v" at the top of his nose. How long will it take for him to summon the courage, to trust in the words he has written? Carpe diem. He will never know until he finds out.

So it is with that thought that Robin shakes his head, slamming his laptop closed once and for all. He stands from his seat and heads across the aisle, heart thumping all the way. As he approaches her suite, he can see Regina resting back against the plush leather seat. Upon further advancement, Robin can make out the small silver ear buds that protrude from the center of her ears, their cords dangling down to meet and connect into a small silver Ipod that rests idly on her lap.

She looks so peaceful that the man almost decides to use it as an excuse to abandon the mission and walk right back to his suite. However, carpe diem calls stronger than ever. And Robin is never one to shy away from courage even though he may seem to be one so gentle and soft-spoken. He approaches the dozing woman quietly, computer tucked underneath one arm. Robin exhales slowly. It's now or never. He reaches out and lightly taps her on the shoulder.

The moment Regina's eyes flutter open, a wide and welcoming smile graces her features. It puts the man's nerves more at ease…just slightly. "Why hello, Robin," she greets kindly with a slight smirk, "Can I help you?"

Robin laughs softly before showing her the laptop. "I've taken up your suggestion," he says with that same familiar shy and reserved smile.

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 **I hope you've enjoyed this update! Of course I will give credit to my bestie thequeenregina, this time not only for beta-ing this chapter so well, but also helping me with the flashback and giving me ideas for Marian and Robin's angsty argument! Thanks so much for the help, B! Your creativity never runs dry!**

 **Anyway, until next time! Thanks so much again for coming by and I'll have an update for you very soon! What's going to happen next? How will Regina react? Will feelings be finally admitted? Stay tuned!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello everyone! Alas we finally come to the much anticipated poem that Robin had written for Regina! I hope you like it ;) A continued thank you for the endless support and stream of comments! You all are incredible, and I can't thank you enough! Please enjoy, and keep those comments coming!**

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 _Leaves crushed beneath my feet_

 _As I trudged along the path_

 _Wind blew through the trees_

 _Moon rays upon my back_

—

 _With crickets my feet kept time_

 _As I trudged through the forest_

 _Inside my soul, no rhythm, no rhyme_

 _As I marched trapped in loneliness_

—

 _But then she came to me_

 _Like an angel in the night_

 _Weary eyes opened to see_

 _Beauty bathed in silvery white_

—

 _Her eyes held the stars_

 _Her skin held the moon_

 _And from all my searching near and far_

 _I still had yet to know her soon_

—

 _Who was this woman, this rare exotic gem?_

 _To her enigma, I was drawn; the allure_

 _I was intrigued to uncover then_

 _The treasured mystery about her_

—

 _Her eyes held a darkness, a pain, of which was familiar_

 _And when I looked closely, I had not known, that I was much like her_

—

 _The pain of the past held us deeply within its grasp_

 _A pain so vindictive, so poisonous, neither to be spoken of nor asked_

—

 _But I saw within those deep dark eyes, a spirit unlike any other_

 _It burst forth from amongst the shadows, and with its glow, had surrounded her_

—

 _I fell instantly for that passion, that drive, that eloquent heartfelt fire_

 _And for that gentle smile, yet so brief, so fleeting, of which I will never tire_

—

 _Oh my dear sweet one, they say pain is but an illusion_

 _But I know better, the past is brutal, cruel, and unforgiving_

—

 _So let me hold you close, your fear shall be done_

 _Slip safely into my open arms. To you, I kindly beckon_

—

 _Let me kiss away the darkness_

 _And carry you into the light_

 _All we can do is try our best_

 _And, for our future, fight_

—

 _You are not alone, and neither am I_

 _Seek comfort in that, dear_

 _I love you. No more shall you cry_

 _For I will be right here_

—

 _Stay with me, my love, my angel_

 _My passion for you runs deep_

 _You have me captive within your spell_

 _And my heart, my soul, yours to keep_

—

 _Alas that fateful night_

 _I sing praises to the stars_

 _Fate had revealed its plan to light_

 _Destiny isn't far_

—

 _Let me take control, mend, and heal_

 _So that nothing may deter_

 _Our luck be sealed_

 _Past, present, and future_

—

 _So take this ride with me_

 _Will you take my hand?_

 _Together, we will run free_

 _The world at our command_

—

 _Let's start a new journey_

 _One where the past doesn't affect_

 _Because as long as you're with me_

 _My life will forever be perfect_

Robin watches with his heart in his mouth as the brunette's eyes trace the verses written upon the screen, as they sit perched together on the leather seat in his suite. It feels like an eternity as Regina reads carefully through the stanzas, when all Robin wishes is that she be done so that he may finally know what she thinks of his work. He has never done this for a woman before, not even for Marian.

Robin watches her expression as Regina scours the document, sitting perfectly still as she does. She doesn't reveal, to him, a thing. And it frustrates the hell out of him.

It is about a lifetime later when the brunette turns her head fully towards him, and Robin witnesses her reaction for the first time after such agonizingly slow and painful minutes of silence. His heart leaps to his throat as he gets a clear glimpse of her eyes that swirl and shine under the overhead light of the cabin. These tears could only have two meanings. A fifty percent chance of each.

Regina stares at Robin, at a loss for words at the masterpiece that has been just presented to her. Words leave her tongue, rendering her speechless. She swallows down the lump in her throat. No one has ever said such beautiful things to her before. No man has ever gone out of his way so intimately, so romantically, as the man who sits beside her with the look of guilt strewn across his features. With a breath, Regina shakes her head, struggling to find the words.

"Robin, I—," she breathes, "—I don't know what to say."

The man shakes his head, his blue eyes wide with anxiety. "I know, I know," Robin admits, bowing his head, "We've only just met. I understand." He begins to fire out the criticisms he has had to endure from Marian upon instinct, figuring that Regina would think the same. "I know. Some of the lines are just far too hyperbolic and corny, and—" Her lips are suddenly upon his in a smooth, sensual kiss. His eyes widen just slightly before he is returning the kiss, molding and moving his lips against hers, pouring everything he has into this one soulful gesture. Such a kiss says it all. No words need to be spoken.

Regina kisses him hard, a tear falling free and smudging against the cheek of the man who has just won her heart not just one time, but a thousand times over. It's a crazy thing indeed. But no less true.

"Thank you, Robin," she whispers against his lips, "Thank you."

Robin pulls back from her to gaze into those dark chocolate eyes. He shakes his head, a look of incredulity and awe replacing his former, more apprehensive demeanor. "You really like it?" he whispers.

Regina smiles, a laugh escaping from her lips. "Like it?" she breathes, "Robin, I absolutely love it. It's so beautiful, so eloquent and passionate. It's unlike anything I've ever read."

A wide smile splits Robin's face in two as he beams at her, relieved at last to know that this isn't a fail. Oh how he is reassured to know that Regina has taken his gesture of pure and raw emotion in the best way possible.

"Thank you so much, Robin," Regina repeats, glancing back at the computer screen. She shakes her head in wonder. "You must print out a copy for me when we return."

Robin grins. "Of course," he replies, "It's all yours. It shall be the featured piece in my collection."

"Wonderful!" Regina exclaims, beaming at him. "I can't wait until you publish it."

"I plan to get on that as soon as possible," Robin announces with a fervent nod.

"Brilliant!" the brunette says, clapping her hands together. Her eyes twinkle, that same mischievous glow about them, which he loves so much. "Will I be mentioned?" she questions cheekily.

Robin laughs aloud. "If you wish," he says, shaking his head amusingly.

Regina smirks at him. She closes the computer, pushing it aside before cuddling up against his chest, arm bent and tucked against him. His heart thuds against her ear, reverberating through her mind.

The man can't help but smile gently down at the precious woman upon his chest. He lifts his fingers, running them gently through her soft, dark tresses. His heart is swollen with love; his eyes see nothing but her. Silence overcomes them as Robin and Regina lay resting, pressed up against each other against the back of his seat. He swears that she has fallen asleep, but alas she speaks again.

"Did you really mean it?" Regina murmurs against his chest, recalling the promise implied within the words of his poem.

Robin frowns slightly, gazing down at her. "Of course I did."

"You really want a future with me…"

"Yes, love, I've told you that before."

Regina sighs, shaking her head once more. "I just…I still don't believe it."

"Why not, Regina?" Robin asks gently, as he continues to tenderly stroke her hair.

The brunette sighs again. "I…," she chokes, her eyes falling shut, face twisting as if in pain. She swallows hard. "I just…"

"Take your time, Regina," Robin whispers, his heart beating slightly faster as he realizes that he is finally being revealed the past.

"I—I was promised that before and—um—," she stutters. She inhales, breath hitching slightly, catching in her throat. She clears her throat rather unsuccessfully. "I was promised that… 'a promise of the future'. That's what he said…"

Robin's brows knit together firmly. "Who promised that, Regina?" he urges softly, but firmly. His skin prickles at the idea of someone, another lover, breaking her beautiful yet delicate heart over a promise as profound as this. How could he have hurt someone so kindhearted, so innocent?

 _"What do you think, hmm?" Regina asks, her features alight with excitement as she looks over flower arrangements and other decorations over the Internet. She pushes the computer towards Daniel who sits quietly beside her, concentrating fervently on his textbook and notebook._

 _"Mm, they're beautiful, Regina," the man replies absentmindedly as he pops the cover off a highlighter, running its tip over a crucial part of his notes._

 _"You didn't even look at them," Regina huffs, shaking her head. She turns the computer so that the screen faces more in his direction._

 _Daniel shakes his head. "Regina," he sighs, "I trust that you will make the right decision. Please, I'm working."_

 _"But the wedding is in three months," the brunette protests, "We've already left as much as we could to the last minute. We need to get this done."_

 _"I know, I know," Daniel sighs, placing his pen down. He looks at her with intense, preoccupied grey eyes, "But I want you to be the main planner of this event. It's the wedding of your dreams. You should have it how you want."_

 _Regina rolls her eyes. "It's also your wedding, too, you know?" she retorts with another huff. "Don't tell me that this is just a way for you to worm your way out of this process and go bury your nose into yet another textbook while I do all the work. I work too, you know?"_

 _"I know you do, my love," Daniel groans, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that indicates high levels of stress. "It's just hard to juggle."_

 _Regina raises a brow. "You're saying it's hard to juggle?" she states incredulously, "You've barely done a thing, Daniel. I'm graduating law school, opening my own firm, and planning our wedding!" She sighs, shaking her head. It takes her a moment to count to ten, otherwise the stress just might cause her to explode. Daniel stares cautiously back at her. "Look," she sighs, "I'm sorry. I'm just stressed, you know. This is a big step. For both of us. I just want everything to be perfect."_

 _Daniel smiles slightly, setting his books and pens aside. He inches closer to her, wrapping his arm around her thin frame, hugging her close to his chest. "I know, my love," he whispers, "I know. And you are doing an incredible job so far." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry too. I'll be more involved. I promise. Just tell me what you want me to do."_

 _Regina heaves a large sigh, smirking slightly at her lover. She shakes her head, shrugging a shoulder. "Well, you can start with helping me pick these flower arrangements," she says, turning back to the computer. "I just can't seem to decide. The purple arrangement? Or the red?"_

 _"I like the red, personally," Daniel observes, squinting at the pictures on the screen, "I like the silver mixed in with the ribbons. It's very…us."_

 _A wider smile graces the brunette's lips as her spirits begin to lift once more. "Red…the color of passion and love," she states._

 _"That's right," Daniel replies, kissing the top of her head, "Because I love my woman."_

 _Regina giggles softly, lifting her eyes to meet his. "You do?" she whispers softly, leaning up to press a lingering kiss to his lips._

 _He smiles, returning with vigor. "I do."_

Regina sniffs softly, allowing herself to sink further into Robin's chest as the pain begins to resurface little by little.

"His name was Daniel."

* * *

 **And there we have it! Thank you so much for coming by today! A continued credit to my wonderful beta, thequeenregina, for looking over this so quickly! Until the next time! The reveal is finally happening guys! Stay tuned, more to come shortly!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi guys! Sorry to make you wait a little longer for this chapter! With the craziness of college and the hype about Fifty Shades Darker, writing has been a bit scarce. But don't worry! I'm so into this fic because we are finally getting so close to the climax! Here's a longer update of pure flashback to tie everything together. Now, everything will hopefully become clear! Please enjoy as always, thank you so much for your support, and don't forget to leave a review!**

* * *

 _He sits cross-legged out on the porch lounge. Sprawled out across the entire expanse of the lounge cushions are two open textbooks, two notebooks (full of notes), and an assortment of writing implements including a few pencils and pens and an array of highlighters of various fluorescent colors. His jaw clenches, the muscles protruding, as he furrows his brow in concentration._

 _It is Daniel's final year in veterinary school, and there is much to be done. So much has happened since he'd graduated high school. It seems as if someone had suddenly pressed the "fast-forward" button on life's remote. He had survived college. After some great difficulty, he had been accepted into a nearby veterinary school on a full scholarship. He now is to leave with the honor roll. And he is about to get married. It seems as if everything has been set into place for Daniel and that everything is under control. However, he feels anything but._

 _It has been difficult over the years. Being the first in his family to merely graduate high school, the burden of carrying the weight of his parents and sister's well-being had been set a long time ago. But the pressure didn't deter Daniel in the least. It only made him stronger, compelled him to work harder. And his fiancé understood that completely. Like him, Regina also received pressure of a different kind from her family, namely her mother. That is no new fact. He liked that about the young brunette, and most definitely used her empathy to his advantage._

 _Daniel has been studying for about two hours now since the time Regina had left the house that morning. He is almost too immersed into what he is studying to realize that his stomach had been growling for the past five minutes. Sighing softly, he shakes his head and stands up, stretching his arms skyward before wandering off into the kitchen. He supposes he could use a break._

 _"Daniel," a voice greets him as Daniel enters the room. "I didn't know you were here."_

 _"As did I with you, Ms. Mills," he acknowledges, "I thought you were with Regina and Emma—cake shopping, I mean."_

 _"I was," Cora says with a nod, looking the young man up and down with a meticulous gaze. "But I'd realized that my future son-in-law is missing out on the action." She lifts a brow. "Why is that, may I ask?"_

 _Daniel shrugs. "I'm studying for finals. They are in about a month or so, as you know."_

 _Cora nods approvingly, shooting him a sweet smile. "Indeed. I'm sure I've told you this before, but I commend your diligence."_

 _"Yes you have. Thank you, ma'am," Daniel replies respectively._

 _"I'm glad Regina has you in her life," Cora continues, stepping towards him. She leans on the kitchen counter nonchalantly. "Oh I remember how unmotivated the girl was, how her head was in the clouds, until you came and set her straight."_

 _Daniel smiles slightly. "I liked that about her, though. Sure, I have helped her get back on track concerning her studies but I always liked that free-spiritedness that is so unique about her. I don't want her to lose that, you know."_

 _"Indeed," the older woman answers with a sigh, "Indeed. But such a carefree mentality can have its downfalls, as you already know."_

 _"I do. But I believe that you must contain some type of carefreeness and lightheartedness—if you will—or optimism. It can alleviate the daily struggles, or even help in the workplace."_

 _"But it can make you weak. With such a mentality comes a vulnerability, one that will stick out like a sore thumb should you not be wise enough to hide it."_

 _"I disagree," Daniel says, shaking his head, "With all due respect, I think vulnerability is a good thing. It's what makes us human."_

 _"Business doesn't care about that, Daniel," Cora counters with a shake of her head, "Statistics don't even look twice."_

 _"But the people behind those statistics—"_

 _"—Are just as cutthroat," the woman cuts in sharply, making the man's eyes widen slightly. Immediately Cora relents, sighing and shaking her head. She drops her hands to her side and pushes off the counter, stepping towards the young man once more, her face falling. "I'm sorry, dear, I haven't meant to get into an argument with you about this. I'm just worried about my daughter, about my Regina…and about you."_

 _Daniel shakes his head. "Why?", he asks simply, "Both of us are doing well. Regina is just about graduated. She has received a grant to start her own firm."_

 _"And you?"_

 _"Me?" Daniel swallows. "I'm just trying to get through my finals right now."_

 _Cora raises a brow. "And then?"_

 _"I don't know, I suppose I'll have to start looking for a job. I do have a few connections, people with whom I can talk to in order to get myself going."_

 _"Even still, there's competition out there, Daniel. You realize that."_

 _"Yes I do," the man answers confidently, "But nothing I can't handle."_

 _"I like that mindset, Daniel," Cora affirms. "But like I said, I do worry about you. Competition builds each and every day. There are less firms out there that practice in animal care, Daniel. Just as there are less veterinary schools."_

 _"True, but I did get into a school, did I not?"_

 _"You did, but it may be tougher."_

 _Daniel shakes his head. "Why are you saying this, Ms. Mills? You think I don't have what it takes?"_

 _"Why of course you do, my dear." She steps even closer. "You are at a very exciting time of your life. Your career is just taking flight. There are innumerable ways your path may follow. I just don't want you to limit yourself further than you already have been limited."_

 _"What do you mean by that?"_

 _"I mean just that. Competition is limiting. That has already been said. But that carefree, free-spirited mentality you were discussing earlier is limiting as well."_

 _"I don't understand."_

 _"I'm just saying that it would be prudent to watch where your mind is set. A bit of advice, that's all, from your future mother-in-law. Just keep your emotions in check and don't let them become obstacles to what you want to achieve. I can see that light in your eyes, that fire and passion for what you want to become. Don't hold yourself back. You wouldn't want the same for Regina either, would you?"_

* * *

 _"Still hard at work, I see," a sweet, sultry voice echoes in the back of his mind. Daniel looks up to see Regina making her way into the bedroom. She sighs softly, kicking off her heels at the foot of the bed before making her way to her side of the bed and collapsing onto the soft duvet._

 _Daniel smirks slightly at the adorable brunette who covers her eyes with her forearm, completely and utterly tuckered out from a busy day of planning. He turns back to his laptop and continues to type. In the background, he can hear Regina heave another sigh. A slight shift on the pillow and the brunette's head is turned towards him, wide brown eyes looking over his form expectantly. Regina smirks slightly, lifting and scooting herself towards him. She rests her cheek on his shoulder, looking over at the computer screen as her fiancé continues to work tirelessly. Another stretch of silence ensues, followed by another sigh._

 _Finally, she kisses him softly on the shoulder, pressing her nose into the sleeve of his t-shirt and inhaling his scent. Then she reaches up and presses a kiss to the side of his neck. And then to his cheek._

 _"Mm, Regina…," Daniel mumbles, shifting in her touch._

 _Regina chuckles lowly, swiping a pointer finger over the apple of his cheek. "Yes, Daniel?", she asks, pursing her lips seductively._

 _"Regina, I really, really need to finish this," Daniel resists, refusing to turn his eyes from the damned computer screen._

 _"But we haven't in so long," Regina pouts playfully, resting her chin on his shoulder. Her chocolate eyes look up at him, large and pleading like those of a puppy's._

 _"We just did," Daniel answers with a frown, continuing to type away without falter._

 _"That was last weekend," the brunette huffs, "What happened to stealing a few fucks in broad daylight, or testing each other's stamina late into the night?"_

 _"Mm, good times," Daniel mumbles, beginning another paragraph of his term paper._

 _Regina frowns, her brows knitting together firmly. "Daniel!", she suddenly calls firmly, slapping the back of her hand against his bicep. "Seriously, what is up with you lately?"_

 _Daniel scowls, finally closing his laptop. His eyes meet hers in an intense gaze that holds hers captive._

 _"What is going on with you?", Regina demands, shaking her head._

 _"What do you mean?", Daniel asks, "I'm not doing anything."_

 _"No. Don't even start, Daniel," Regina hisses, "You're constantly with your nose stuck in a book. You are hardly aware of any of the changes taking place around you. Look around you. Our wedding. Does that even matter to you anymore?"_

 _Daniel sighs, shaking his head. "Of course it does, Regina. It's just that I need to graduate at the top of my class if I am to get a secure job."_

 _"Since when has rank ever mattered to you, Daniel?", Regina questions._

 _"It's a competitive world out there, Regina," Daniel justifies, "You more than anyone should know. You understand. Don't you?"_

 _"Of course I do. But you've always told me that there must be a balance. Right now, you're overworking yourself to death. I'm afraid your mind is going to explode."_

 _"Regina, I need to do this. I need to be the best that I can be. For my family. For you."_

 _Regina shakes her head, placing her hand upon his. "Daniel, you are more than any of us could ever expect of you. Don't doubt yourself. You've excelled far beyond any expectations. There's nothing to fear. You will have a future. You will have a career."_

 _"Easy for you to say," Daniel mutters, "Success and wealth is in your blood. Me…I'm from a family of nothing."_

 _"Don't say that," Regina states, "Don't conform yourself to what you believe your family has bestowed on you. You are more than that. And you've shown it in many ways. We are all proud of you."_

 _"But is that enough?", he asks, shaking his head hopelessly. "Is that enough to keep us both as well as my own family financially secure?"_

 _Regina sighs softly, rubbing his bicep up and down reassuringly. Her heart aches for him, for his lack of confidence. It is almost a role reversal from where the pair began. "You don't have to do this alone, Daniel," Regina whispers, "I will be here with you too. I have my firm almost up and running. I can help pay the bills too."_

 _"But you shouldn't have to," Daniel says, closing his eyes, "That's my job. I should be taking care of you, not the other way around."_

 _"What's wrong with doing it together?"_

 _"I'm not convinced, Regina."_

 _"What do I have to do to make you understand?", Regina huffs exasperatedly._

 _"Leave me alone, and let me study."_

 _"Daniel, I—"_

 _"I mean it, Regina," Daniel bites, "If I am to do this, and to do this right, I need to dedicate my time and energy to what matters the most."_

 _"God, Daniel," Regina breathes, shaking her head. A look of almost disgust washes over her features as she pulls her hands from him. "You sound just like my mother."_

 _"I'm sorry, Regina. I just…I don't want anything to get in the way of what I want to do."_

 _"Not even us…?"_

 _Tears well in the brunette's dark eyes. For the first time in what feels like forever, her heart suddenly begins to ache. It's light and dull, but an ache no less._

 _"Regina…", the young man sighs, his features wrought with distress._

 _Regina closes her eyes, shaking her head fervently as the man reaches forward to take her face into both of his hands. "What, Daniel?", she chokes, swallowing the lump in her throat painfully._

 _"I'm sorry. I really am…"_

 _"Do you even want this anymore? Do you even want us?"_

 _Daniel frowns. "Of course I do," he whispers, pressing his lips to hers in a light peck. "I love you."_

 _"Then why do I feel like you are leaving me?"_

 _The young man heaves another long sigh, his chest deflating. "I just want what is best. For both of us. That's all I wish for."_

 _"Prove it to me." Regina bites her lower lip hard._

 _"Prove what, my love?" Daniel's eyes search hers._

 _"I think you know…"_

 _He exhales through his nose, his heart pounding against his ribcage. "Tell me what you want, Regina," he urges gently, his thumb swiping across the brunette's pale skin._

 _"Make love to me."_

* * *

 _"I'm pushing her away," the man confesses, placing his head in his hands. His fingers curl around his locks, yanking in frustration. "I need your help. I just…I just don't know what to do."_

 _The wedding is close. And the man is growing desperate as ever. Addicted to his work, he has devoted his time and energy into the textbook, his eye forever on the prize that is graduation just a few weeks after the ceremony. Blinded by his need to rise above what his family had seemingly preordained upon him, he has plunged into the depths of academia…all at the expense of his engagement. But he doesn't want to lose Regina. The young brunette is the best thing that had ever happened to him._

 _"Well, you follow your heart," Cora replies as she daintily files her perfectly manicured nails, "What does your heart tell you?"_

 _"That I need this. I need to succeed. But I need Regina."_

 _"I think you need to take another look at yourself, Daniel," the older woman says, continuing to gaze down at her nails._

 _"That's all I've been doing," Daniel sighs, dropping his hands to his sides and strolling towards her._

 _"I think you need to look again. Work. Love. There is one thing that is common between both."_

 _"And what is that?"_

 _"Sacrifice."_

 _Daniel's eyes widen. "No," he whispers, "You mean I have to sacrifice one to get the other? That I have to choose between the two?"_

 _Cora looks up from her nails, her gaze piercing troubled grey eyes. "Success is sacrifice. Love is sacrifice. You can't have everything."_

 _"I don't agree."_

 _"Really? You've been working relentlessly day in and day out. You've aced your first exam. How are you with Regina?"_

 _The young man grits his teeth in frustration. "You make it sound like you don't even have Regina's best interests at heart if you're making me choose between her and my work. I don't want to hurt her."_

 _"Why of course I do, dear. I want both of you to be happy. But that can only be achieved with some sacrifice. All I implore is that you think long and hard about what matters to you most. Because in the long run, a decision that you make will impact not only you, but Regina as well."_

 _Daniel sighs, his eyes falling closed. "I just want us both to be successful and content in life. Because I know how it feels not to be. We both have so much on our plate."_

 _Cora smiles slightly, standing from her chair. She walks over to the young man and places both hands upon his shoulders. "Then you will do what you believe to be necessary."_

* * *

 _Her heart flutters double-time as she stares at herself in the mirror. The perfect image of a bride, pure and white as snow gazes back at her, brown eyes wide with trepidation._

 _"Regina, dear," her mother's voice calls from behind her, the older woman's image coming into view in the mirror. Regina turns slowly to face Cora who smiles back, a look of adoration plastered upon her features. "You look absolutely breath-taking."_

 _The brunette smiles a little, bowing her head. "Thank you, Mother," she whispers before shaking her head._

 _"You really are the fairest of them all. Daniel is a lucky man."_

 _Regina smiles, one slightly wider. "You really think so?"_

 _Cora nods. "I know so."_

 _"You really think we can be happy?"_

 _"Oh darling," Cora drawls, "I know you will be happy."_

 _The wedding bells begin to ring, rudely interrupting the silence that erupts between mother and daughter. Not long after, Emma is bursting through the doors, clad in a simple, yet beautiful, light blue gown._

 _"It's time!", she announces excitedly, cutting between them and taking Regina by the arm. "Regina, wow," she breathes, looking the brunette up and down at an arm's length. "You look incredible!"_

 _Regina chuckles softly. "Thank you, Emma," she says kindly, pressing a soft kiss to her best friend's cheek. "As do you."_

 _Emma bats her eyelashes, smirking widely. "I know, right?", she teases, prompting the two of them to laugh. Regina gazes lovingly at her Maid of Honor, shaking her head fondly. "Well come on," Emma says, taking Regina's hand and pulling her towards the door._

 _Regina chuckles again, following her friend hastily down the corridor to the entrance at the back of the cathedral._

 _"Are you ready?", Emma asks softly, giving her friend a bouquet of white roses._

 _The young brunette swallows. "As ready as I'll ever be," she answers, receiving the flowers._

 _The blonde looks Regina up and down one more time. "Oh wait a minute," she states abruptly before taking the lacy, gossamer veil that hangs over styled curls of ebony and positioning it over the brunette's face. "Now you're ready."_

 _Regina smiles gently at her friend before pulling her into a tight hug. The music begins to play. The sound is muffled through the closed entrance. "It's time," she whispers nervously. Squaring her shoulders, she stands up a little straighter._

 _And the large wooden doors open._

* * *

 **So now can you guess what had happened? Find out completely in this next chapter update! Thanks so much for coming by! Stay tuned for more very shortly!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Another update as promised! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Thank you for your continued support! Lots of love and happy reading! Don't forget to review!**

* * *

"I should have seen it coming," Regina sighs, shaking her head against Robin's chest. She inhales a shuddered deep breath. "I was stupid, just plain stupid, to believe that everything was all right." She swallows hard. "It was, in part, my fault. I should have realized, that was where we were headed. I was just too…" She trails off.

Robin smiles gently, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her upper arm. "It's all right, Regina," he comforts.

The brunette swallows, shaking her head once more before beginning again. "I was too wrapped up in hope, my belief that everything was fine, because I wanted to believe that everything was all right. And in doing that, I lost sight of the man Daniel had become." Regina sniffs softly. "That is what hurts the most; it's the bitter irony. The man I loved became everything that he had told me not to be."

 _"Regina, do you take this man, Daniel Colter, to be your lawfully wedded husband, and to love him for all eternity?"_

 _The young brunette gazes into the eyes of her beloved, drinking in the grey gaze wrought with anxiety. He stares back at her, eyes wide with an expression that cannot be deciphered. It's a look so far removed from the ceremony in which they are in now. It's not a look that should be associated with what should normally be a jovial celebration._

 _Regina swallows hard, her lower lip sliding between her teeth as she forces a small smile. Of course she wants this man. She wants him with every fiber of her being. So in that brief moment of doubt she convinces herself that perhaps it will be through their marriage where she and Daniel may repair whatever had caused them both to fall out over the past few months. After all, they need each other. They've been together through thick and thin. Why would either one of them leave now?_

 _"Yes," she answers, her smile more confident as she looks to the man she loves with all her heart, mind, and soul._

 _"And do you, Daniel, take this woman, Regina Mills, to be your lawfully wedded wife, and love her for all eternity?"_

 _A silence ensues as the young man stares back at Regina, a blank expression upon his face. It prompts Regina's heart rate to increase. It's so quiet in the church that she can practically hear it pounding away inside her chest. She gazes at the struggling man, her lips parted in silent breath. Regina's eyes holding Daniel's stare, silently imploring him to complete what they had started all those years ago on a wooden swing by that sparkling stream. But the man looks as if he has frozen, with none but the passing of various unnamed emotions flitting across his features._

 _"Daniel?" Regina whispers, desperately searching his eyes for something. Anything. She can feel his palms grow sweaty in her grasp._

 _"I—um," Daniel stutters. He nervously looks towards the congregation who sit in just as much angst. His swallow is audible._

 _Slowly, Regina begins to shake her head. No. He can't…_

 _But the man turns his gaze back towards the distraught brunette and shakes his head. His hands slip from hers and he takes a step back. "I—I'm sorry." His whisper is incoherent._

 _And with that, Daniel is turning towards the rows of people gathered before them. And, even as a chorus of gasps fill the air, he makes his way towards the center aisle in a swift pace, a pace that quickly evolves into a run, leaving the brunette frozen at the altar._

 _Regina stands stiffly, her mind blank except with the hope that what has happened is false. Her hands remain still in the air, her breath solid within her chest. Daniel. She can hardly speak, let alone whisper the name._

 _But her world is beginning to spin. And the last thing she hears, before her eyes fall shut, is the cry of the people in the aftermath of what is yet another unhappy ending._

"That was the last time I saw him," Regina says with a sigh, "His belongings were gone the next day. I've never heard from him since…" It's scary to think that something so valuable, so seemingly steadfast, can come crashing down in a matter of moments.

Robin shakes his head, in complete and utter shock. No wonder why this woman is so broken-hearted. Quickly, Robin finds himself disgusted with the brunette's ex-fiancé. That man had played her with the most valuable treasures known to man. Hope. And love. "I—I'm sorry, Regina." His voice is barely above a whisper.

Regina snorts softly, shaking her head at the apology. "Please," she tells him, "I neither want nor need your pity. It's not even worth it anymore. I've learned my lesson."

"I just—I don't know what to say," Robin murmurs, feeling his face grow hot. The parallels between his and Regina's past are just far too similar. It's uncanny.

Regina shrugs a shoulder. "What is there to say? It happened."

"When did it happen, may I ask?"

The brunette sighs softly. "Six weeks ago," she whispers.

Robin's eyes widen. "It just happened," he breathes, his heart clenching even further.

"It just happened," Regina echoes despairingly as she buries her nose into his chest.

"And—this trip you are on…" The man proceeds with caution. His heart thumps against his chest. He has a horrible feeling about this.

"…is my honeymoon."

Bile rises within Robin's throat. How could anybody do this to someone like Regina? He swallows hard, overtaken by the horror of it all. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you, Regina. Nobody should ever have to go through such an experience. Nobody should ever treat you the way you were treated, the way you were manipulated. I can't imagine the pain…"

Regina rolls her eyes slightly. "I think you can," she says, but not in a way that sounds accusing. "Look, I appreciate your sympathy but you are wasting your breath, Robin. I know you must feel the same way you do now as I have felt during the months leading up to my wedding."

Robin inhales deeply, his heart clenching at the thought of Marian, the woman he so loved whose heart has changed just like Daniel's. "Don't worry about me," he mutters.

"Maybe I should," Regina states with a small shrug. "Robin, you have time to fix your situation. You have time to follow your heart and make the right choice. Isn't that what your code is all about?" She lifts her head, her eyes meeting his for the first time in this conversation. "You _can't_ make the same mistake I did. It'll only leave you with nothing but regret and a heart full of pain. I had to learn my lesson the hard way. But you don't have to."

Robin shakes his head, her words touching him to the very core of his being, soothing the pain that has ached dully for so long. The brunette is right. And she knows what it's like. This engagement is no longer what he wants anymore. The man can no longer imagine a life shared with Marian. Oh how things have changed drastically. How could he have been wrong all those years ago in thinking that she was the one? What does that even say about his judgment? But right now, the only thing that comforts him slightly is that the brunette must be pondering the same exact thing. And it's the comfort that he is not alone, which consoles him for the time being.

"And what lesson is that?" Robin asks slowly.

"The lesson that love is fickle, a lesson that everyone around me seems to have known, but I was far too wrapped up in the illusion to care."

"I don't agree, Regina," Robin replies with a frown, "Love is raw but pure, light but dark, and is the world's most powerful magic." He gazes sincerely down into those beautiful eyes of dark chocolate, his hand coming to gently cup at her soft cheek. "We all have that magic within us, Regina. It just takes us a bit of time to find it…true love, that perfect love. It's perfect magic. But when we find it, we can never let it go." His lips part into a gentle smile as his thumb swipes at a tear that rolls down delicate, rosy, olive skin. "I really, really like you, Regina—maybe even love you." His smile widens. "There, I said it. It's crazy, I know, but I love you."

Regina can't help but return his gaze with a small smile of her own as she simultaneously fights for her composure when all she wants to do is sob uncontrollably. "Robin…," she chokes, speechless. The words to reply to his confession are inside of her. But they don't reveal themselves. She is still scared, terrified that this happiness will again, somehow, be taken from her as well.

"It's okay," Robin whispers as he continues to stroke her cheek with his thumb, "Everything will be okay, Regina. Have hope."

The brunette snorts slightly, half a laugh spluttering from her lips. "I think you have enough hope for you and for me."

Robin can't help but smirk a little, tilting his head from side to side. He gazes at her with those mystical blue eyes. Could he be any more convincing? "Use mine for the both of us then," he offers in earnest.

 _He gazes at her one last time before stepping through the airport gate. One last time, he leans forward to peck her lips._

 _Marian stares at him, her eyes colored in an emotionless monotone. Her features are slack, deprived of any feeling, or perhaps too much feeling. Robin can't tell the difference. He holds her face in both his hands, willing her eyes to gaze into his._

 _"It is only for a week," he reminds gently, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "It'll pass soon, I promise."_

 _The brunette shakes her head, eyes breaking his gaze to cast downward in disappointment. "I don't want you to go," she mutters._

 _"You know I have to," Robin says, "That I want to."_

 _"You've wanted many things, Robin," is the bitter answer._

 _Robin grits his teeth. "I don't want to fight again, Marian," he says sternly, even though he could say the same thing to her. "Not now. Not here."_

 _Marian lifts her chin once more to look her fiancé squarely in the eyes. She exhales long and hard, but before she can answer, Will is calling._

 _"Come on mate!" he exclaims, already halfway through the gate._

 _Robin looks towards his friend before turning back to the brunette. "I have to go," he announces with a sigh._

 _"I know," Marian mutters. She takes his hands from her face and lowers them to his sides. "Just come back. Okay?"_

 _Silently, Robin nods before grabbing his suitcase. He swivels on his heel and starts towards an impatient Will._

 _Robin tries to look back at his beloved to catch another glimpse of her one last time, but her back is already turned as she weaves her way through the throng of people, keen on reaching the exit._

"She wasn't always like this. Now that I think about it she wasn't this…abusive. She changed," Robin says with a shake of his head. "I lied to myself you know, telling myself that I needed to be with her, that it was my duty because it was in some arbitrary code of mine." He sighs deeply. "I was blinded by the love I thought I had, far too wrapped up in the fantasy that I'm so used to writing." He frowns, a deep crease between his brows. "Now that I think about it, I trapped myself."

"We both have," Regina replies softly, fingers gently stroking his stomach.

A silence ensues as the two lie there, bodies pressed up against one another. Neither one of them is eager to move. However, alas, "Ladies and gentlemen, we ask at this time that you please report back to your designated suites to prepare for landing. We shall be arriving at the Heathrow international airport in about a half hour's time. Please make sure that your respective belongings have been gathered and that all rubbish has been disposed of. Again, we thank you for choosing British Airways."

The couple sighs simultaneously, obviously reluctant to leave their current position. "What do we do now?" Regina asks, furrowing her brows as she shifts upward to sit.

"I believe you make your way back to your seat now, Ms. Mills," Robin says with a lift of his brow.

The brunette rolls her eyes. "No, no. I mean about…us." She gestures between the two of them. "What happens when the plane lands?"

At this, Robin's heart freezes momentarily. What will happen? What _should_ happen? But before his mind can speak, his heart already has the answer. He sighs before turning to Regina with a fervent gaze. "Marian and I will have a long chat…," he answers slowly, causing the woman's eyes to widen slightly, "…where I will be calling off the engagement."

As cruel and thoughtless as this may seem, the brunette can't help but feel relieved that Robin has decided to heed her words. In the end, she wants him to be happy, because she knows how it feels when the opposite occurs. Yet even still, the answer comes at a bit of a shock. "Really?" she whispers, "Just like that?" So quickly?

"Really," Robin answers with a firm nod, "Just like that. It's over."

"But…after that. What will happen then?"

That smirk that Regina so adores returns to his radiant face, so infectious that it prompts her own features to immediately break into a smile. "After that…," Robin says, tapping his chin playfully, "I will find the hotel in which you will be staying for the duration of this trip."

Regina chuckles lowly, her heart beginning to flutter within her chest as desire begins to pool deep in the lower parts of her stomach once more. "And then?", she coaxes, her voice low and sultry as she leans close to Robin, lips brushing his and eyes twinkling like diamonds.

"Then…," Robin whispers, taking her chin in his hand and closing the distance in a furtive kiss. "Then, I shall write a new poem."

* * *

 **And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have finally come to the big reveal! Secrets of the past have been unfolded. The past and present are on the mend! ...But what about the future? What will happen now? Stay tuned to find out! I will have an update shortly! Thanks for coming by as always! Another big shoutout and thank you to my beta thequeenregina! You're the best!**

 **I'll see you all soon! And don't forget to review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello! Hope you've all had a lovely Valentine's Day! As always, thank you so much for the support you've given for this fic! It's more than I'd imagined and I'm so touched, so grateful for it all! That being said, I hope you enjoy this update! Just a little more closure after the big reveal in the last chapter! Don't forget to comment and tell me what you think! Thanks again, and happy reading!**

* * *

Regina saunters back to her seat. As she plops herself down, unable to hide the foolish grin that has spread wide across the entirety of her face. It has her best friend looking the woman up and down, staring at her as if she has grown ten heads.

"Every single time you return to this seat you look as if you've sniffed a line of coke. What the hell is going on with you?" a stunned Emma berates.

But the brunette simply smirks back at her friend, shrugging her shoulder. "Nothing," she replies cryptically, reaching down to gather what little amount of belongings she has lying around in the area of her mini suite. After all, she spent most of the duration of this flight in the suite of a stranger turned lover.

"Right, I know," Emma says, rolling her eyes. "I'm stupid. It's definitely Robin. How was his poem? I want to see!"

Regina huffs, shaking her head fondly at the blonde. "No, Emma. That's private. Plus, I don't have it with me."

"Aw come on, Regina," Emma groans, throwing her hands in the air. "You always do this."

"Do what?"

"Leave out the good stuff. You're so freaking private, it kills me!"

"Well, that's how it should be," Regina says with a shrug of her shoulders, "God knows I've told you way more than I've intended to."

Emma tilts her head from side to side. "I suppose," she replies. "But really, what's going to happen between the two of you now? Like, as much as I know you'd love to stay up here and rendezvous in the sky forever, what goes up always has to come back down, right?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Regina groans, rolling her eyes. Oh how she is so terribly excited to return back to reality, even if it is in a different country.

"So?" Emma presses, "What are you going to do? More importantly, what is Robin going to do?"

Regina lifts a brow before shrugging. "He told me he's going to call off his engagement," she sighs, resorting to telling the truth lest she be interrogated by her best friend who has absolutely no concept of personal space and privacy, whatsoever.

To this, Emma's eyes widen. "No way," she breathes, shocked at the sincerity that has been brought in this relationship. This fact, should the man actually go through with it, practically seals the deal. "He really is going to call off his wedding?" she clarifies, "For you."

The brunette chews on her lip as a small smile peeks from the corners of her mouth. "Maybe? I don't know…"

"Oh, I think you do know," Emma counters, "I think you have a very good idea." Again, Regina shrugs. "Do you have his phone number?"

Regina's eyes widen upon realization. "Oh. No, I do not."

"What do you mean, you do not?!" Emma explodes, "You're telling me that after all the time you spent with him and barely with me, you don't have his freaking cell phone number?! You've got to be kidding me, Regina!"

The brunette shrinks slightly under her best friend's reprimanding. "Um, no?", she tries, "I suppose I just haven't thought of that."

To this, Emma snorts, rolling her eyes to the heavens. "You, my friend, are the strangest human being I've ever known," she says, "You meet this guy. You do stuff, fun stuff—," Regina narrows her eyes at her friend, "—You keep seeing each other repeatedly. And you don't even have his phone number."

"The cabin is a small area."

"I know, but…" Emma fists her hair at the top of her head in frustration. "Ugh, Regina, seriously. Go back and get his phone number. Now!"

Regina's eyes widen. "What? No, Emma," she resists, "We're about to land."

"I don't care. Go and get it!"

"No, we are going to see each other anyway. It doesn't matter."

The blonde sighs, shaking her head. "Regina, Regina, Regina. What the fuck am I supposed to do with you? You are the queen of unconventional relationships."

Regina chuckles halfheartedly. "Ha, yes," she sighs, "Don't I know it…"

* * *

What a flight this has been for Robin. The man chuckles to himself, marveling at how it takes just one moment to finally make him realize that every moment before this was nothing but null. For the first time in forever, Robin feels as if he is seeing clear as day now, and that what he'd been seeing before was through nothing but a dirty, speckled lens. There has been far more color in the past six and a half hours than there had been in the entirety of his engagement, which was nothing but monochrome.

In awe of the events that unfolded mere hours ago, Robin gazes out the window, resting the side of his head on the glass. Below him, the ocean comes back into view as the plane passes through a clearing of clouds on its slow descent downward. It's none but a large, single-toned, blue mass, but it's beautiful. From above, the sun's rays cast down upon the vastness, sprinkling the sea's waters with its light and creating sparkling paths that ripple on the surface.

As the plane draws closer to land, Robin can't help but suddenly feel nervous as everything finally catches up with him, the euphoria having been dulled and replaced by a slight tremor of trepidation deep in the pit of his stomach. Soon, he will be facing his fiancé once more. And although the man has realized that what they've had was nothing but a loveless relationship, the thought that he won't be able to look at her the same way again, due to the events on board this aircraft, unsettles his stomach. It's a depressing thought, but no less true. However, as Regina told him, he has the power to change that. He has the power to be happy, to follow his heart, and be with the one whom he truly cares for.

But what if his relationship with Regina, should it even progress, grows to become nothing more than what he had with Marian, come the inevitable struggles and strife of this never-ending game of life? What if this relationship, too, will grow to become as monochrome as the one he'd previously experienced? What if it, too, will come crashing down? After all, despite how much he may convince himself otherwise, Robin and Regina have only known each other for less than half a day. The thought terrifies Robin. What if this is just another mistake to join the pile of mistakes that have accumulated to make up his seemingly miserable past?

But even in his doubt, Robin can't help but feel something more, something that he hadn't felt before, certainly not with Marian. He feels hope, not just any hope, but a rebirth of a stronger, more profound version of hope. Regina knows what it is like to love and lose, even more so than he does and Robin knows what it is like to fall out of a relationship he'd once thought of as so valuable and so precious. Knowing both facts, wouldn't it be simply inevitable that neither one of them would ever want to let something similar happen again? Wouldn't the both of them work to do everything humanly possible for their relationship to work, to remain strong and flourish? After all, this time is different. They both have an understanding, an understanding of the workings of love, it's sparkling surface along with the gravity of its undertow. All this combined should be enough for them; all of this combined should be enough to secure the future. Robin surely hopes so.

* * *

"We're almost there!" Emma whispers excitedly. She glances at the brunette who has resorted to listening to some soft jazz music through her earbuds. "Regina!" the blonde says, abruptly smacking Regina's arm.

"Oh my goodness, Emma, what is it?" Regina says, shaking her head at her friend as she yanks the plugs from her ears. However, a smile does remain to be seen on her lips.

"I said, we are almost here," Emma repeats, straightening herself up so that she can see out of the side windows. "Ugh, this is why I hate having the middle seat," she huffs, "All I can see is blue."

"That would be the sky," Regina replies calmly, rolling her eyes.

"Very funny."

"Mm, I am. Not to mention that you act like a child sometimes…more than sometimes." Regina shifts in her chair, gazing idly forward. "It's not like you'd see anything interesting, anyway. We're still well over the ocean with twenty-five more minutes to go."

"Well, that's just unfortunate," the blonde says, relaxing back into her seat. She glances towards the brunette, looking at her profile. "Well, it looks like this trip isn't so bad after all, is it? Change of heart?"

"Oh stop it. That'll all depend on how things go on the ground. I still have to face Robin and I fear I'll have to face his fiancé eventually, should the man still feel inclined to call off the biggest decision of his life."

"Yes, well, but you'll still be on vacation."

"True. Which means that you will have to book me a massage the minute we get to the hotel." Regina turns her head towards Emma and winks, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Yeah, yeah, fine, Your Majesty," Emma mocks, rolling her eyes. But then, her features turn soft and sincere, throwing Regina off guard for a moment. The brunette tilts her head at her curiously. "But seriously, Regina," Emma states genuinely, "You are so much happier than when we started out. In complete honesty, without all of the teasing, I'm happy for you. Truly, I am. And I really hope that you and Robin work out. I think you'd make quite the couple."

Regina smiles softly, touched by her best friend's words. After all, words like this don't come from Emma Swan's mouth often. "Thank you, Emma," she whispers softly, taking her best friend's hand and squeezing tightly. Reaching over further, she pulls the blonde into a tight hug. "What would I ever do without you? Thank you so much."

"It's nothing, really," Emma replies, shaking her head fondly, "It's all free." She smirks slightly.

Regina laughs, pulling away from her best friend when suddenly the plane jerks sideways, throwing her to the side. She hisses sharply as her head bangs hard against the side of her suite. "Fuck!" she curses, feeling a faint dribble of sticky liquid trickle down the side of her face.

"What the fuck was that?!" Emma yells, gripping onto the handle of her seat.

But before Regina can answer back, the aircraft jolts once again, throwing Regina to the other side. "Oh my God," she whispers, heart beginning to race. She looks frantically at the people who scream around her in sheer panic. Whipping her head back towards Emma, she stares wide-eyed at the blonde who grips at anything she can find for stability as the plane continues to lurch, jerk, and shudder.

"This is the captain speaking," a grave voice suddenly breaks through the cabin's crackling speakers. Regina sucks in her breath, head shooting up at the sound. Her hands shake as she grips hard at the sides of her leather seat; the plane continuing to rock. Everything seems to echo in her ears as if it is a dream, a horrible nightmare from which she hopes to wake from soon.

"…Brace for landing."

* * *

 **Uh oh...stay tuned!**


	21. Chapter 21

**New update! Lots of action, hold onto your hats! Enjoy, and don't forget to tell me what you think!**

* * *

He's the best of the best, cool and confident in what he does—has twenty-plus years of experience behind him, and knows every trick in the trade. He goes just by Killian and is known to be quick on his feet, resourceful, and oftentimes downright hilarious. Smooth with his words, Killian is a friend to many and an enemy to none. That is, disregarding his current co-pilot, David, at times. It's not that the two would have all-out brawls, however a few squabbles here and there have occurred over the times they've piloted together. It's nothing major. It's just that when given the option to choose, neither would pick each other with whom to copilot. This is merely a fact, and nothing more.

"Just one more flight, just one more," Killian muses, allowing his mind to briefly flick to thoughts concerning his upcoming vacation.

"Fantastic," David sniffs, "Enjoy that, whilst I have another week to go."

"It's a pity, mate," Killian says as he keeps his eyes straight ahead, smirking nonetheless. "You're just eager to get home to your wife."

"Well, who wouldn't be?" David reasons, glancing over at the pilot with his eyebrow raised.

"You two are inseparable, like lovesick puppies."

"We will always find our way back to each other no matter how far I fly."

"Oh...that's just lovely, mate." Killian places his hand over his heart.

At this, David rolls his eyes, gripping his side of the control wheel. Suddenly, the plane lurches forward, thrusting both men toward the windshield.

"Bloody hell, what was that?" Killian curses, grabbing onto the sides of his chair to stabilize himself before latching onto his control.

"There seems to be a problem with the elevator," David reports, struggling to grasp at his wheel and trying to regain control as the aircraft continues to jolt and jostle the two.

"All right, all right," Killian says, "Make the announcement on my behalf as I radio in to Heathrow."

* * *

"Brace, brace, brace. Heads down. Stay down. Brace, brace, brace!"

The cries of commands of the flight attendants do nothing but cause even more of a panic onboard. All throughout the cabin, the screams and shrieks of adults and children alike scrape through the air, curdling Regina's already racing blood. A couple directly across in the aisle beside her is praying. A man and woman in the suite in front of them huddle protectively over their little daughter who can do nothing but grasp onto the arms of the last bit of security she knows and cry. The plane continues to jerk from side to side. The force is strong enough to open a couple overhead compartments; its contents spilling into the aisles.

So upon having nothing to do but to accept the fact that this just may be her last breath on Earth, Regina swallows hard in attempt to calm her racing heart rate and presses her forehead against the wall of the suite in front of her. She closes her eyes, making her last attempts at willing this all to go away when suddenly her forehead presses harder into the wall, her stomach lurches into her throat, and the screams of the people around her intensify. A sharp whizzing noise pierces the air alongside the many cries of despair, and Regina knows that they are in a nosedive, plummeting rapidly towards the ground.

* * *

"No control, sir, no control!", David says forcefully, gritting his teeth together as he pulls at the wheel.

"No control on my side either," Killian states, "Shit. Try the manual."

But before David can reach for the lever, a siren blares through the cockpit as the plane's nose begins to tip down, dropping both stomachs and hearts to the floor like it would at the top of a rollercoaster. Clouds smash against the windshield, disintegrating upon impact as the blue of the ocean draws closer and closer. Just ahead, land approaches. Fast.

"Stick rig. Pull up. Stick rig. Pull up." The automated warning courses through the men's veins, leaving behind a chilling wake of fear.

* * *

Blindly, she reaches over to Emma's side, and the blonde receives her hand, grasping it tightly. Regina squeezes hard, holding onto what little hope she has left as she links fingers with her best friend. Her eyes squeeze even tighter. For the first time, she utters a prayer up to whomever is watching in a desperate plea. "It's almost over," she whispers shakily to herself by way of whatever comfort she may be able to grasp at this moment in time. "It will be over soon."

* * *

"Heathrow Center, this is British Airways A380, we've lost our hydraulics and pitch control…We are in a dive…I repeat, we are in a dive." Killian reports, the hair on the back of his neck standing upright. "We have lost all vertical control…Okay David, we need drag—do something to stop this dive, initiate speed breaks—even put down the landing gear."

At this David hustles, jabbing at the control board, pushing buttons and pulling levers. "It's not helping!"

"Dump the fuel."

David presses a lever and immediately, fuel of the airplane pours from the wings of the plane in a vapor, hissing as it goes.

"Heathrow Center, this is British Airways A380. We are in an uncontrolled dive—coming out of twenty thousand feet—declaring a state of emergency. We've dumped the fuel and are headed to the nearest airport." Killian glances at his copilot. "David, try the manual control again."

David grabs the lever, yanks it upward, twists it clockwise, and slams it back down. "Still no control."

"Okay, okay. Try mine," Killian says, continuing to grip onto his control wheel, heart beating as he struggles to stay calm. "Can you reach?"

"Yes sir."

At this maneuver, Killian pulls upward on the control wheel, clenching his jaw hard as he feels a slight response. "Come on, come on! Fuck!"

Slowly, the airplane begins to level as they regain what little they have of thrust, the nose of the airplane steadily lifting.

* * *

Regina feels the plane begin to slow, lifting back into an almost upright position. She exhales loudly, opening her eyes. Taking a chance, she peeks at her surroundings. Frowning, she catches a woman doubled over in her seat, frantically typing away at her smartphone. Regina sighs, glancing over at her best friend. And at the sight, her heart twists in pain. Never has she ever seen the blonde, who is usually the strongest and most courageous out of the two, become so completely terrified. "Emma…" Regina begins, having to talk above the screams which have somewhat died to whimpers of sorts. She gazes into wide hazel eyes that cloud over with nothing but fear.

Emma shakes her head fervently. With effort, she lifts her right hand, displaying her cellphone grasped tightly by white knuckles in a death-like grip. "We—we have service…" she states, her voice catching within her throat, "R—Regina…"

Regina frowns in confusion. "I—I don't understand," she chokes in return.

"Text your mother," Emma says, shaking her head once again.

The brunette sighs a shuddered breath as her eyes fall closed once again. No. The last thing she needs on her mind is her mother, the woman whom she's positive has had a role in destroying her happiness. So Regina looks away, disregarding Emma's suggestion. But she feels the blonde squeeze her hand even harder in reassurance, causing the brunette to look back at her best friend.

* * *

"I think I have it steady," Killian reports, continuing to pull up on his control.

"Will we make it?", David questions worriedly.

"I'm not sure, but I'm doing the best I can. We won't be able to make it to the nearest airport. I see a field ahead of us. I'll try and set us down there."

"A crash landing…"

"There's no other way."

* * *

"I love you," Emma whispers, shaking her head.

Through her despair, Regina forces a small smile, nodding back ever so slightly in meager response. "Love you too," she mumbles before suddenly, another thought occurs to her. It's the thought of the one man who has managed to change her life in a matter of mere hours, the one man who has shown her the power of hope, the one man who has promised her a better future.

Regina's eyes widen as she lifts her head abruptly despite the repeated chants of the flight attendants. Ignoring the pleas of the attendants, she turns her head towards the very back of the cabin, straining to get a glimpse of Robin Locksley amidst the shuddering of the aircraft that continues to jolt her side to side. Finally, she meets his eyes, chocolate and blue locking for a moment of reassurance, of solace, of escape, and of love.

The plane seems as if it stills for this brief moment, giving the pair to connect, truly connect, all emotion bursting forth through one single impassioned gaze. A single tear runs down Regina's cheek, scorching a path on her delicate skin. In a moment of weakness, she makes a move to stand, wanting nothing but be with him and yearning for the comfort his arms would bring. But Robin's eyes widen as he shakes his head fervently. Regina swallows hard, sinking back into her seat, glancing at him one last time as he mouths the words of, "I love you."

* * *

"Still no control on my side. Is it working?" David interrogates frantically.

Killian grunts in concentration. "Almost. Come on! Come on!" he hisses through gritted teeth. But suddenly there's another jolt as the elevator snaps out of control.

"Shit!"

* * *

The plane dives again.

Regina screams, bending forward in her seat, forced by the frightening downward angle to press her forehead against the seat in front. Outside, the world draws closer, land quickly drawing in upon the aircraft as it dives from six thousand feet.

* * *

"David. What's your wife's name?"

"W-what?!" David cries, struggling to gain control of something. Anything.

"Your wife!" Killian yells over the hissing of the wind and faltering engine.

David looks to the pilot, eyes wide with fear. "Snow," he whispers.

"Tell her you love her," Killian says, nodding towards the system's radio intercom so that it may be documented.

* * *

Fresh tears spring from her eyes as she cries against the back of that seat. Regina squeezes her eyes shut once again. Her life doesn't quite flash before her eyes, except for the last seven hours. The thought of never seeing Robin again has her heart breaking in half, and then in half again.

* * *

"I love you, Snow," David says fervently to the black box in front of him, "I love you so much. Remember, I will always find you!"

* * *

"I love you too, Robin," Regina whispers, her voice trembling as she forces herself to focus on his face, and his face only. That warm and welcoming smile. Those beautiful, silky, dirty blonde locks that fall over his forehead. Those sapphire, blue eyes—as blue as the sea that was sparkling below just seconds ago.

Her heartbeat accelerates, but her body remains rigid. _That smile._

She squeezes her eyes shut, and breathes. _Those eyes._

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. _His words._

And she braces for the landing.

* * *

 **Stay tuned! Thank you for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Welcome back! I apologize for the delay. Things have been getting fairly crazy down here in the realm of college. But here's another update explaining the aftermath of what had happened previous to this. Warning that it may be a little sad, however not too graphic. Please enjoy and tell me what you think! Again, I thank you all so much for your continued support and kind comments!**

* * *

 _The large wooden doors open; a gentle creak soft against the flow of melody that bursts through from the interior. Regina sucks in her breath, her fingers gripping a little more tightly onto a beautiful bouquet of white roses that stay secured with a white satin ribbon. She exhales, taking a step forward as the music swell. Her dress swirls around her ankles as she moves to make her way down the center aisle._

 _She only gazes towards the front of the spacious room, disregarding everything and everyone around her, because nothing matters except the man who waits for her up at the altar. A gentle smile graces Regina's features as her heart flutters double time._

 _Closer and closer now, and his face comes into focus. Robin Locksley. Her one, her only, her forever. Her true love. Her soulmate._

She should be dead. Regina Mills should be dead. Perhaps this crash would have done her a favor. Or perhaps not. She's not so sure.

There's a ringing in her ear, and a muffling of something far away, something outside, something distant. Regina winces as she places her hand to the side of her head, feeling a sticky path of blood that trails from her ear and down the side of her face. She licks her lips, feeling a fresh cut on her top lip.

Groaning softly, she tries to move, her vision unfocused. But she finds her body to be like a ton of bricks, heavy and incapable of moving. But slowly as Regina's senses begin to kick in again, she struggles from her prostrate position upon the floor of the cabin and crawls from underneath the wreckage. The seat in front of her had uprooted and flown backward, trapping Regina underneath just seconds after she'd been knocked to the ground. She's lucky to be alive. But it has left her having to army-crawl and push the remains of the seat from her path. Toppling into the aisle, Regina rolls onto her back, her body still in shock as she stares blankly up at the cabin's tattered ceiling. She almost descends back into the darkness, when suddenly a moan beside her right ear startles her back to reality. And her eyes fly open once again. Slowly turning her head to the side, Regina comes face to face with another survivor. However, this one is far less lucky than her. A deep laceration angrily marks the side of this poor man's face, blood oozing onto the floor. With a soft gasp, Regina pulls away, wincing immediately at the sudden movement as her back screams in protest.

Shakily, the brunette scrambles up onto her knees, and then onto her feet little by little, all the while using what's left of a wall of her suite for stability. The cabin is now eerily quiet, save for a few moans of pain and distress that pierce the air like arrows. Glancing around, Regina is finally able to view the carnage, full throttle. It shocks her, causing her to lift a hand to her lips and stifle out a cry. All around, people lay strewn about either in the aisle or underneath the wreckage. Some writhe in pain. Others lie deathly still. The small little girl, whom Regina recognizes from earlier, whimpers between the bodies of her parents. Smoke lies thick in the air, prompting the brunette to erupt into a few shuddering coughs.

Still shaking, Regina takes a step forward, testing her strength. In the background, she can hear sirens approaching. Is she the only survivor who's well and able. No. Regina catches sight of a young man in a fetus position in the back corner of the cabin, saved primarily by a leather cushion. His eyes are wide with fear as he sits frozen stiff. A trail of blood runs from a gash in his forehead.

But he is not one about whom Regina is concerned. Suddenly a glint of red catches her eye as she's about to turn away, sending her stumbling in that direction around the back of the aisle. Her mouth gapes open as she collapses to the side of her best friend whose body lies twisted in a pool of blood, in the aisle opposite, having been thrown far from her seat.

"Emma," Regina sobs, tentatively reaching a hand out to touch her on the shoulder. But she knows it's no use. There is no response as she shakes her friend. There is no breath. "No…" she whispers, tears held from before now beginning to stream down her cheeks. "No…Emma, please!"

Regina continues to shake her best friend's body, refusing to believe that she's dead. But upon slumping over the blonde who lays still, cold, and silent, Regina allows herself to cry, accepting the agonizing truth. Her heart begins to bleed.

But then upon lifting her head once more, Regina's eyes widen as her hazy memory finally jolts back into place, prompted by the horrifyingly untimely death of her beloved friend. "Robin…" she whispers.

In a flash, she is up on her feet once again, looking frantically towards the direction of his suite. With a gasp, she's racing towards the back of the cabin, stumbling clumsily over the wreckage.

"Robin!" Regina cries as she approaches, coming to stumble onto the arm of the empty seat beside his. She finds the man bent sideways in his seat, his head pressed in an angle up against the window. "Robin!" Regina repeats, sliding past the empty seat and coming to take his head tenderly into her hands. Gently, she rights his body in the seat.

The man moans, his eyes fluttering as he struggles to retain consciousness. Through his blurry vision, he can see a familiar outline of a familiar face. And he can hear its familiar voice muffled in his ears.

"Robin, no. Please!" Regina whispers, grasping the sides of his head. Blood cakes his beautiful locks. Streams of red, located at both his cheek and his brow, trail down from where skin has broken.

"R—r'gina…" Robin mumbles deliriously, his head lolling in her hand.

"No. No, no, no, no, no. Please," Regina begs, tears rushing down her cheeks, "Please, you need to stay with me. You need to stay conscious." She cries softly. "Help is on the way. I can hear the sirens. I can hear them…I can—" Her voice breaks as Robin's eyes flutter closed.

"Robin!" Regina cries, pressing her cheek against his, sobbing uncontrollably. "No! Please no! You can't go! I…I love you! I love you, Robin!"

Robin's eyes open once more, and Regina gasps slightly. But those eyes aren't his. These are glazed over, hazy, and distant. They are wrought with nothing but pain. He looks right past her.

Regina's heart beats against her chest. Oh how she prays that help comes soon. She can hear engines drawing closer and closer, the shouting of people. Gazing back at her lover, cradled in her arms, she presses a gentle kiss to his lips. But all Robin does is look to the heavens, all emotions washed from his pale blue eyes that were once so vibrant with color and life.

Her breathing is erratic. But she takes a stuttering deep breath, and begins to recite Dickinson's poem of hope.

"Hope is the thing with feathers—," she whispers softly to him, gently stroking his cheek, "—that perches in the soul." _The shouting draws closer; padding of feet upon the grass._

"That sings the tune without the words—And never stops at all—" _There's a banging at the bent metal door._

"And sweetest in the Gale is heard—And sore must be the storm—" _The crank of an instrument and the door is pried open._

"That could abash the little Bird—That kept so many warm—" _Men and women, whose boots are heavy and loud clamber inside._

"I've heard it in the chillest land—And on the strangest Sea—" _There's a shuffling and the survivors begin to stir._

"Yet never in Extremity—It asked a crumb of me—" _Soft soothing voices overwhelm her senses as her poem draws to a close._

Regina lays her cheek back on Robin's, her tears falling onto his skin, as the man sighs outwardly, closing his eyes again.

And it isn't until the paramedics pry the brunette off her lover when Regina must part from him. Yet even then, she denies any medical treatment offered to her and follows Robin into the ambulance; en route to the closest hospital in, what is now, their final destination. England.

* * *

 **Thank you all! Don't forget to review! And stay tuned for more!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello all! I'd just like to thank you once more for the wonderful comments I've received throughout this entire fic. I'm so, so grateful and I cherish each and every one of them! Enjoy this chapter, and keep those reviews coming!**

* * *

"Let me see him! You have to let me see him or I swear to God, I'll—"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry. We cannot allow you past these doors. It's strictly against regulations."

"There must be something that you can do," Regina pleads desperately, trying again to push past the nurse who stands in her path, refusing to budge. The brunette gazes with despair into the older woman's stern eyes.

"I'm sorry, miss, you cannot. Not unless you are family," the nurse replies with a firm shake of her head.

Regina stares at the woman, her heart racing a hundred miles per hour. She doesn't even remember how she came to this point; she's hardly able to comprehend all of this. It's far too much. The pictures are all in a blur; men reaching to grab and pull her from an unconscious Robin, the way they were lifting him onto the stretcher and carrying him from the wreckage with Regina close on their heels, the way Regina was demanding she ride with Robin in the ambulance, swatting away any of the paramedics who tried to tend to her minor injuries. The brunette screws her eyes shut. Her head pounds away like a drum, ready to burst.

"I—I'm his girlfriend." The words spill from her lips before she can even stop them. They make Regina hold her breath, as her thoughts turn immediately to Marian. But no—she cannot think about such things now. She has to see Robin. She has to make sure that he's okay.

The nurse gazes at the distressed brunette skeptically, squinting her piercing brown eyes. "Ma'am, I—"

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Regina yells, what little of her patience that was left finally sizzling away, "Are you kidding me right now?! I've had the most horrible day of my life. I've barely survived a plane crash. My best friend is dead. My—my boyfriend may be dying. Let me see him, goddammit!"

She pushes her way past the, now stunned, nurse and marches through the heavy doors of the ER, bursting into a room that bustles with people. Physicians and nurses rush past, all too concerned with their own endeavors to notice a frail and fearful brunette as she makes her way blindly through the ward, searching for the area where they keep the inpatients. It takes her a good ten minutes to find the line of beds, all separated by curtains, on the far side of the ward. With her heart in her mouth, Regina searches each space, peeking in through the curtains. Still no sign of Robin.

After twelve cubicles, her heart begins to sink in despair. However, spurred on by the power of determination and hope, Regina continues on until the very last bed space. Peeking in through the curtains, her eyes widen and her lips part in a soft gasp. A small sob escapes her lips as she rushes to the side of the bed. He lies there upon the sheets, skin pale, and hair hanging limp over his forehead. Tubes of all sizes connect to his arms, chest, and head; IV's, tubes that feed, and tubes that stabilize. His mouth is open, lips parted forcefully by another large plastic tube and mouthpiece that helps him breathe. Around his neck is a thick and heavy brace. A large bandage lies plastered across the left side of his head. Beside the bed, a monitor beeps incessantly, counting the rhythm of his heart and breathing. The soft dripping of the IV echoes in Regina's mind.

The brunette lets out another sob, reaching forward to clasp the man's limp hand. He's so cold. Inside, her heart screams aloud in horror; horrified by the fact that another person whom she loves and deeply cares for is, yet again, taken so cruelly and abruptly from her grasp.

"Robin…" Regina sobs quietly, lifting and pressing the back of his hand to her cheek as her tears come streaming down. "I'm…I'm so sorry," she whispers in despair. Struggling to control her emotions, Regina kisses his knuckles softly, pressing them against her lips desperately.

At this moment, a nurse walks through the curtains; this one with kind blue eyes and a sympathetic smile. Regina glances up at her, eyes shining with tears. "Will he be okay?" she whispers, still holding tightly onto Robin's hand.

The nurse smiles sadly. "I'm afraid the injuries he had experienced from the impact of the crash proved to be more critical than we'd initially thought."

Regina shakes her head. "I—I don't understand."

"Ma'am," the nurse begins gently, bending down to sit in a chair beside the bed and gazing at the brunette softly in the eyes. "Unfortunately, due to the crash, Robin has suffered from some traumatic brain injury. We have found that the injuries he'd sustained turned out to be more severe than we'd thought."

"No…" Regina breathes, lips parting in dread, "Is—will he—live?"

The nurse nods solemnly. "Initially we had diagnosed him as suffered from a concussion. However, concussions of this gravity can unfortunately cause the patient to slip into a coma."

"No…" Regina repeats, squeezing her lover's hand, "No! So you're telling me that Robin is in a coma…?"

The nurse nods quietly, averting her gaze. "I'm so sorry, miss."

Regina shakes her head, words lost upon her tongue as she stares at her lover's lifeless face. "Will…will he ever wake?"

"As far as we know, this coma is temporary, lasting from a few days up to a week or two."

"A week or two?!"

"Yes, ma'am. But I can assure you that we will do everything possible to keep Robin comfortable, safe, and nourished. He will be well cared for and looked after."

"What if he doesn't wake?"

The nurse smiles gently, shaking her head. She reaches over to take Regina's other hand, holding it tightly, reassuringly. "It's best not to assume the worst," she whispers, "The most important thing, here and now, is that Robin is alive. His heart is beating, and breath passes in and out from his lungs. Think of him as only sleeping, a deep sleep, a place where he is safe. You must remain strong because of this. You must hold on to hope."

Regina shakes her head, staring downward as tears scorch red-hot paths down her cheeks. "I don't think that's possible," she whispers, voice trembling, "I—I've lost so much."

"But it is," the nurse insists gently, "It's inside you. Think about Robin. You must remain strong for him. You cannot give up, for when he wakes, he will need you there by his side."

The brunette sighs, nodding mutely. The nurse stands, and with another nod, heads from the cubicle. Closing the curtains, she respectfully allows Regina some privacy.

"I don't know what to do," Regina whispers, turning back to her lover. She leans across the railing of the hospital bed, peering into the pale face of her beloved. "I don't know what to say. But I suppose there's not much to talk about now." She inhales softly.

"You saved me, Robin. You saved me from the darkness, from my pain and misery. You saved me from a life that was nothing but dim and dull. In the brief time we've spent together, you taught me how to love again. You taught me how to hope, how to believe in a better future. You opened my heart, allowing it to trust again. God, I was so closed off before I met you. I just don't know how you managed to crack me. And in such little time too." Regina laughs humorlessly.

"Only a little time has passed and I already miss you. I miss you, Robin. I miss your smile. Your sweet, sweet smile. The world just seemed to light up whenever you smiled. I miss the warmth that appeared to radiate from your skin. I miss the way your eyes lit up whenever you looked at me. You made me feel special. It's something no one has ever been able to do. You made me feel worthy. And your warm embrace. Oh, I miss the way your hugs gave me strength, comfort, and support. I miss the way they acted as a sort of sanctuary. They were the only place I truly felt safe, even if it was for a brief moment.

"And now, it's only fitting that I repay you with all that you've given me. But I can't. You were there for me when I needed you, whether I realized it or not. I wasn't. I know it's absurd to think that I could have protected you from what had happened. But I should have tried. Why didn't I go to you? Why didn't I take you into my arms. Why weren't we together? Why did we have to face what had happened alone? I suppose we are with each other now, but that's not enough for me. I want more. I want you to wake up now. I want to take you into my arms, kiss you, and tell you just how much I love you. I want to actually speak these words to you, something I should have done before, which now weighs heavy upon my heart as nothing but regret.

"I don't care about anything else. I don't care about what happens to me. All I care about is you, that you live, and that you are safe and happy. Everything that you wished for me, I now wish for you. You wished me out of the darkness. You pulled me from its clutches. And it frustrates me, now, that I cannot do the same for you. This darkness that you are in is far too deep for me.

"But I'm here, Robin. I'll be right here by your side. Always. I'll be here every minute you sleep, counting the seconds until you wake. I won't give up. For you, I won't. You taught me how to have hope, and I'll hold onto what little hope that has been restored within me. I love you, Robin. I love you more than words can express. I love you deeper than I've ever loved before. People will say that we are crazy for loving each other so profoundly after spending only seven hours together, but let them talk. We were never normal anyway. We are different. We are unique. It's crazy to think that there was once a time when I thought that was a terrible thing: uniqueness. But not anymore, for you've taught me that different is good, something that should be celebrated. You've given me courage and strength to remain steadfast in the idea of accepting myself for who I am with all my flaws. No one is perfect. Perfection is but an illusion. I agree, however, with one exception. This love is perfection. And when you wake, if you'll still have me, I look forward to a future where we are able to further continue, and develop, and nourish this love, letting it grow and prosper. Wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't that be a happy ending?"

Regina cries softly, her tears spilling upon the bed. With every breath she takes, her lungs constrict in pain. With every pulse, her heart cries out in agony. She kisses Robin's hand once again, willing something, anything to occur. Perhaps by magic, his eyes will flutter open and he will see her, take her into his arms, and kiss away the pain like he has done before. But no. There he stays, limp and still, seemingly lifeless upon the mattress.

 _He is floating, numb of feeling. He is but a spirit in the breeze, a breath upon the waves, an abstract thought or concept. Darkness lingers about him, enveloping him, hiding him. Hiding him from what? All around him, silence lurks, creeping around him like some shadow in the night. But he is not afraid. In fact, he is empty, devoid of feeling and emotion. It's something so different than how he used to be before. He used to be so animated and full of life, with his heart overwhelmed by passion and sentiment. But now he is nothing, a nobody with a name that lingers like a lost word upon someone's tongue._

 _At times if he listens really closely, he can just make out the muffled, distant voice that seems to be speaking to him from so far away, from another dimension. It sounds so familiar, like a warm and comforting smell from his childhood that had once been lost to the many others that have clouded it throughout this long trek of life. He can hear her speak to him, though the words do not register as they should. It's unnerving, eerie, and deeply troubling._

 _Oh how he wishes to be there with her once again. His heart pours out to her, cries out to her. How he wishes so badly to tell her that he is okay, that he is safe. The darkness must be temporary. He cannot remain trapped in this abyss, this purgatorial void forever. She needs him. And he needs her._

 _But all he can do, now, is wait...and wait...and wait. And cling to the hope he has, like a soft feather drifting in the breeze. A single feather of hope._

Regina gasps softly, lifting her head from the mattress that smells of chemicals. Groaning, she sits from her bent position over the end of Robin's hospital bed. She glances over at him, viewing her lover in the same state as he was before she unwillingly had drifted into a fitful sleep. Yawning, the brunette glances about the room. It seems quieter outside the curtains of the cubicle, the ward having died down to a dull roar, one that emulates the fall of night outside the window. The brunette sighs softly, glancing back towards Robin. She stands slowly, making her way up the side of his bed to press a soft kiss to his forehead. Smiling softly down upon him, Regina brushes the hairs from his face.

She enjoys the peace and quiet she has with Robin, keen on reciting another poem to him as he continues his slumber. However, this is not to last. For the moment she opens her phone to read and recite Keat's poem, " _Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art_ ", a fervent voice suddenly pierces the ward's quieted air, sending a shiver up Regina's spine.

"Where is he?" a woman's distressed voice calls, accompanied by rapid clicking of heels upon the tiled floor. "I need to see him now!"

"Ma'am, ma'am please. Just one moment—" a familiar voice follows swiftly after. It is the voice of the stern nurse who'd initially refused Regina passage into the ward.

Suddenly, the curtains of the cubicle abruptly slide as they are yanked open by a violent hand. Regina whirls around, dropping Robin's hand in shock as she comes face to face with another brunette dressed sharply in a sensible pantsuit and heels. Long brown wavy hair frames her face, her skin tanned. Her eyes are sharp and lethal, searing through Regina's weary gaze and judging immediately.

"Who are you?!" the woman demands, her voice raised so much that it startles the woman opposite her.

Regina's eyes widen as she rights herself, standing tall to face the brunette across the small space. "Regina," she answers, hardening her gaze. Deep down, her stomach begins to swirl, an inevitable feeling that does not sit well. She notices that the other brunette hasn't even looked at the man on the bed yet.

"Who are you?" Regina shoots back, eyeing the woman squarely.

"Well, I'm Marian," the brunette spits. Her voice is like poison, contaminating the very air that they both breathe. Behind her, the stern nurse emerges, standing with her arms crossed. And to the brunette's side, a hospital security officer.

Marian takes another step towards Regina, lifting her chin. Regina sucks in her breath, dread settling hard and fast in her stomach.

"I'm Robin's fiancé."

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 **And there we have it! As I am sticking with my initial desire to make this story unique in the way that the story surrounds one single event (the plane ride), I'm afraid this is the last chapter in this fic!**

 **Thank you so much for staying with me throughout this incredible journey! Your support is greatly appreciated and treasured! Thank you to all who have commented such wonderful things! You all are truly so kind and generous, and it means more than I can write!**

 **I'd like to now just quickly take the time to credit a few outside sources that have helped me with this fic, those which I haven't really mentioned. Credit to the movie _Flight_ (2012) for inspiration for the plane crash. And, of course, credit to the writers of Once Upon a Time for creating such unique and beautiful characters for all of us passionate writers to work with.**

 **Last but not least, very special thank you to my beta, thequeenregina, for looking over this fic for me so quickly and efficiently! B, you're the absolute best, and I'm so lucky not only to have such an amazing beta as you, but a best friend in you as well! You're so special, so creative and talented. Never stop writing!**

 *****As you can see, I've left you all on a cliffhanger, and I'm sure you're wondering if I will continue this story with a sequel. And the answer is YES! Please stay with me and be on the look out for my next fic coming soon entitled, _The Perfect Trip_ , that will explore more deeply into the aftermath and consequences of this crash as well as Regina and Robin's newfound relationship and the difficulties that may arise with the presence of Marian!**

 **So stay tuned! Thank you again! And I will see you all very shortly!**


	24. SEQUEL ALERT

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 **HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT _EN ROUTE_ NOW HAS A SEQUEL POSTED, CALLED ****_THE PERFECT TRIP_** **!**

 **PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AND ENJOY! I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ALL!**

 **THANK YOU!**

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